IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


''%- 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHJVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


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Tschnical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Tha  Institute  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicaily  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


D 


n 


□ 


n 


Q 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


pn    Covars  damaged/ 


Couvarture  endommagte 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^  at/ou  pellicula 


I — I   Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I   Coloured  mapa/ 


Cartes  gtegraphiquas  en  couieur 


Coloured  inic  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couieur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I — I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planchaa  at/ou  illustrations  1%  couieur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Rail*  avec  d'autras  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareiiure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  da  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainee  pages  bianchea  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dana  le  texte, 
mais.  lorsqua  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  fiimtes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  mailleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lul  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-itre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographiqua,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  axiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pagea  de  couieur 

□   Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagias 


D 
0 
D 
0 
D 
D 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restourtes  et/ou  pelliculies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolories.  tachatAes  ou  piquAes 

Pagea  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachAes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit*  in^gala  d^  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprand  du  materiel  suppl4mentaire 


|~n   Only  edition  available/ 


Seule  Mition  disponibie 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieliement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillat  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At*  filmies  A  nouveau  da  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


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Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  suppiimantairas: 


Irrsguiar  pagination  :   [1] -6,  [2],  [13]- 111,  [1] p. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  rMuction  indlquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 

12X 


16X 


aox 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  film«d  h«r«  hat  b—n  r«produc«d  thanks 

to  tha  ganarotity  of: 

■'•  ■  ''  ''*"'.' 

Douglas  Library 

Quaan's  Univarsity 


L'axamplaira  fllmA  fut  raproduit  grAea  h  la 
gAnAroaltA  da: 

Douglas  Library 
Quaan's  Univarsity 


Tha  Imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  consldaring  tha  condition  mnd  laglbillty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apaclflcatlons. 


Original  coplas  In  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  lllustratad  Impras- 
slon,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  approprlata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  wKh  a  printad  or  lllustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  lllustratad  .iiprassion. 


Las  imagas  sulvantas  ont  AtA  raprodultas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  filmA.  at  an 
conformitA  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 

Las  axamplalras  orlginaux  dont  la  couvartura  en 
papiar  aat  ImprimAa  sont  fllmAs  an  commandant 
par  la  pramlar  plat  at  an  tarmlnant  soit  par  la 
darnlAra  paga  qui  comports  una  amprainta 
d'Impraasion  ou  d'iliustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  caa.  Tous  las  autraa  axamplalras 
orlginaux  sont  fllmAs  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'Impraasion  ou  d'iliustration  at  an  termlnant  par 
la  darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microflcha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^-^^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END  "), 
whichavar  applias. 


Un  daa  symbolas  sulvants  apparattra  sur  la 
darnlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microfiche,  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  — ►  signifis  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
symbols  V  signifis  "FIN". 


Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  These  too  large  to  be 
entirely  Included  In  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  aa 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartas,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAa  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  ssul  clichA,  II  est  filmA  A  partir 
da  I'angia  supArleur  yauche,  da  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  an  bas,  an  prenant  i«  nombre 
d'Imagas  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  sulvants 
illustrant  la  mAthode. 


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600K   OP 

NIAGARA  FALLS 


^  Flow  on  forever,  in  thy  glorious  robe 
C  f  terror  and  of  beauiy  !    God  hath  set 
His  rainbow  on  thy  forehead,  and  the  cloud 
Mantles  around  thy  feet.    And  he  doth  give 
The  voice  of  thunder,  power  to  speak  of  Him 
Eiernally— bidding  the  lip  of  man 
Keep  silence,  and  upon  thy  rocky  altar  pour 

Incense  of  awe-struck  praise^ 

See  page  93. 


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NIAGARA  FALLS., 


BY  HORATIO  A.  PARSONS,  A.  M. 


i, 


Fifth  Edition. 

CAREFULLY  REVISED,  AND  ENLARGED, 

t^ccompauiett  bff  JtfapM, 


BUFFALO: 
STEELE  &  PECK. 


NEW-YORK: 
W  I  L  EY  &   PUTNAM, 


1838, 


4^ 


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<'i:-i::-:'S.-  .'■'.'■■■Jr''. 


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V.  * 


Entered  according  to  the,  act  of  Congrcis,  in  the  year  1836,  by 

OLIVER  %.  STEELE,  Proprietor. 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Northern  Dis- 
trict of  the  State  of  New- York. 


m 


«*■ 


Steele's  Press,  Buffalo. 


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PREFACE  TO  FIFTH  EDITION. 


The  following  work  has  now  reached  the  fifth  Edition, 
and  has  been  constantly  increasing  in  popularity.  It  is 
now  generally  considered  to  be  an  indispensable  compan- 
ion for  all  persons  desirous  of  obtaining  accurate  informa- 
tion and  a  correct  idea  of  this  great  wonder  of  the  world. 
The  present  edition  has  been  carefully  examined,  and 
such  corr^ctiona  and  additions  made,  as  will  ensure  the 
continued  patronage'of  the  travelling  public. 

Bajalo,  1838. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  writer  of  the  following  pages,  having  been  a  resi- 
dent at  the  Falls  a  number  of  years,  and  familiar  with  the 
whole  scenery  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  as  well  as  with 
all  the  interesting  localities  in  the  vicinity,  and  having 
omitted  no  means  of  obtaining  correct  information  in 
regard  to  the  various  facts  stated,  feels  free  to  offer  thiv 


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6 

manual  as  a  correct  and  sufficient  guide  to  visiters,  in 
which  they  will  find,  within  a  small  compass,  an  ample 
fund  of  information  respecting  the  Falls  and  vicinity. — 
Having  no  particular  or  private  interest  to  serve,  he  has 
aimed  to  give  an  impartial  description  of  the  different 
objects  of  interest  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  to  do 
justice  to  all  persons  concerned.  The  plan  of  publishing 
such  a  manual  was  formed  in  the  year  1817,  and  most  of 
the  materials  were  then  collected  and  arranged  ;  but  for 
various  reasons  it  was  not  published  till  the  year  1834, 
though  it  was  the  firat  book  of  the  kind  that  had  ever 
been  published  respecting  the  Falls.  From  an  intercourse 
with  a  vast  number  of  visiters  at  all  seasons  of  the  year, 
he  has  been  enabled  to  ascertain  whfiX  kind  of  information, 
they  most  need,  and  has  greatly  enlarged  the  present 
edition  in  order,  if  possible,  to  afford  ample  information 
in  relation  to  every  thing  connected  with  the  Falls  and 
vicinity,  about  which  inquiries  would  naturally  be  made* 


■<>■■' 


>ta,'i  -.. 


CONTENTS. 


Advertisement, 

Directions  to  Travellers,     -        -        -        - 
Niagara  River,  its  Sources  and  Islands, 
The  Rapids,         --.,-. 
Goat  or  Iris  Island,  -        -        -        - 

The  Falls,  Terrapin  Bridge  and  Tower, 
Biddle  Stair  Case,  iEolus'  Cave,  4&;c. 

The  Ferry, 

Canada  Views, 

Welland  Canal,- 

Brock's  Monument,         -        .        -        . 
Burning  Spring,  -        -         .         -         . 

Stair  Case, 

Museum,      -        -        -        - 

Summer  and  Winter  Scenery, 

River  below  the  Falls,  .        -        .        . 

Remarks  of  Hennepin,  Tonti,  Honta»,  &c. 

CltfiwitA^iB;  &c.  -        '        -        ^ 


Pagd. 
5 

13 

-  19 
24 

-  27 
31 

-  35 
39 

.    40 

43 
.    44 

45 
■    46 

47 
.    47 

51 

•  m 


'•"at" 


t-  ;(^^^  ^■^'■^:t-^'^': 


8 


[/■    '•**- 


4 

i 


Mineral  Spring, 
Whirlpool, 
Devirs  Hole, 

Tuscarora  Indiansi 

Battlesi        -        -        - 

Bridges, 

Minerals,  &c. 

Incidents, 

Hermit  of  the  Falls,     - 

Village  of  Niagara  Falls, 

Number  of  Visiters, 

lloutes  and  Charges, 

Descriptions  of  the  Falls. 

Table  of  Distances, 


^■i. 


■^     -.J-r 


BOOK  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


In  these  days  of  steamboats  and  rail-roads,  when  tra- 
vellers go  by  a  stop  watch,  and  a  delay  of  five  minutes  is 
deemed  a  calamity,  a  few  directions  may  be  necessary  to 
enable  you  to  save  time  and  view  the  various  points  of 
beauty  to  the  best  advantage.  At  the  same  time  we  can- 
not help  deprecating  the  mania  so  prevalent  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  in  making  our  excursions  for  pleasure,  mere 
races  against  time.  No  person  should  come  to  Niagara, 
for  the  first  time,  and  leave  the  same  day  ;  it  is  utterly 
impossible  for  one  to  conceive  or  realize  its  grandeur  or 
beauty  in  such  a  visit — in  fact  one  can  hardly  endure  the 
bodily  fatigue  of  simply  climbing  up  and  down  the  vari- 
ous stair-cases,  hills,  rocks  &c.,  much  less  can  the  mind 
take  in  and  appreciate  the  various  objects  of  interest 
which  necessarily  present  themselves  in  such  quick  suc- 
cession, when  endeavoring  to  see  the  whole  of  Nia-gara 
in  a  day. 

It  is  a  common  custom  for  visiters  on  arriving  at  Niag- 
ara, to  hasten,  immediately  upon  aUghting  from  their 

2 


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14 


BOOK  or 


Directions  to  Travellers. 


M- 


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conveyance,  to  catch  a  first  glance  at  the  mighty  cataract; 
and  this  view  may  in  all  probability  be  one  of  the  least  at- 
tractive— they  feel  disappointed — and  wonder  at  the 
eulogium  bestowed  by  other  travellers,  who  have  used 
more  time  and  discretion,  jump  into  the  next  steam-car 

that  leaves,  and praise   the  Falls,   because  every  one 

else  doeSf  not  because  they  have  witnessed  or  appreciated 
its  beauties  themselves  ! 

Should  you  arrive  on  the  American  side,  you  will  of 
course  stop  at  one  of  tha  Hotels,  of  which  the  principal 
are  the  Cat  \ract  Hotkl,  kept  by  Mr.  G.  W.  Hawley, 
and  the  Eagle  Tavern,  by  Mr.  T.  W.  Fanning,  both  of 
these  are  excellent  houses.  After  recovering  in  some 
measure  from  the  fatigue  of  your  journey,  take  the  street 
to  the  right  around  either  of  the  Hotels,  and  proceed  a 
few  rods  to  the  bridge  that  leads  across  the  rapids  to 
Bath  and  Goat  Islands  ;  you  will  stop  at  the  toll-house 
on  Bath  Island  when  you  pass  over,  record  your  name 
in  the  register  and  pay  twenty-five  cents  ;  which  enti- 
tles you  to  visit  all  the  islands  with  their  appendages  as 
often  as  you  please  during  your  visit,  or  for  a  year,  with- 
out any  additional  charge.  And  if  you  choose  to  cross 
in  a,  carriage,  you  pay  ko  more.  Proceed  next  to  Goat 
Island,  where  you  will  find  guide-boards  directing  you  to 
all  the  most  interesting  places  and  objects  around  the 

r_i J        T^_n iU^ 1 ii__  _x  ai--    ..:_i^a     .1 i_ 


^ 


4  f^ 


THE    FALLS. 


15 


biiections  to  Travellers. 


itaract; 
;ast  at- 
at  the 
re  used 
am-car 
ci'i/  one 
eciated 

will  of 

incipal 

awley, 

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'  name 
I  enti- 
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,  with- 
3  cross 
)  Goat 
you  to 
id  the 
iwii  to 


the  cascade  or  centre  fall  and  cross  a  narrow  bridge  to  Luna 
Island,  from  the  farther  corner  of  which  you  will  have  the 
best  and  most  splendid  view  of  the  Falls  on  the  American 
side.  Retracing  your  steps  to  the  gravel  walk,  proceed 
next  to  the  Biddle  Staircase  ;  descend  that  without  Jail  j  as 
you  will  there  have  a  magnificent  and  much  admired  view 
of  the  two  entire  Falls,  standing  between  them,  and  an 
opportunity,  if  the  wind  be  favorable,  of  passing  a  con- 
siderable distance  behind  either  sheet,  with  the  tremend- 
ous flood  pouring  over  you  from  a  height  of  150  feet. 
From  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  turn  first  to  the  right  and 
go  to  the  Cave  of  the  Winds  under  the  centre  fall,  and  in 
returning,  follow  the  path  to  the  great  Crescent  fall. 

Reaching  the  top  of  the  island  again,  proceed  to  the 
farther  corner,  where  you  will  find  the  Stone  Tower  for- 
ty-five feet  high  with  winding  steps  to  the  top,  and  also 
the  Terrapin  Bridge,  from  both  which  places  you  will 
,  have  decidedly  the  best  and  most  impressive  views  of  the 
Falls,  that  can  be  had  from  any  position.  Here  you  will 
realize  power,  grandeur,  sublimity,  immensity, — no  pen 
or  tongue  can  describe  it. 

Pursuing  your  way  with  a  view  to  go  entirely  round 
the  island, — as  you  ought  without  fail  to  do,  inasmuch 
as  you  will  thus  get  a  much  better  view  of  the  rapids  and 
surrounding  scenery  than  can  be  obtained  any  where 
^Ise, — you  will  proceed  up  to  a  beautiful  cascade,  where 


W<i ,  .;.v'.-  .1''. ..- .  *■■■ 


16 


BOOK  or 


Directions  to  Trnvcllcrs. 


l*-! 

^/•.• 


under  the  shelter  in  part  of  a  projecting  rock,  you  can 
have  an  opportunity  to  bathe  in  the  sparkling  foam  of 
Niagara. 

"  Tiiis  is  the  purest  exercise  of  health, 
The  kind  refresher  of  the  suninier  Iieats." 

A  rustic  bridge  was  here  to  give  you  access  to  the  Moss 
islands,  which  are  well  worthy  a  vi^it.  Just  above  these 
islands  you  have  the  very  best  view  of  the  rapids,  that  is 
presented  from  any  place  about  the  Falls.  Proceeding 
round  the  head  of  the  island,  you  cross  the  place,  nearly 
opposite  the  saw  mill,  where  a  number  of  human  skele- 
tons have  been  dug  up, — supposed  to  be  the  former  site 
of  an  Indian  burying  ground. 

If  your  visit  is  protracted  at  the  Falls,  you  ought  to 
pass  around  and  through  Goat  Island  by  the  different 
paths  in  order  to  observe  its  picturesque  beauty  and  real- 
ize its  thousand  attractions.  Yoa  ought  also,  if  time 
permit,  to  visit  the  site  of  old  Fort  Schlosser,  the  mine- 
ral spring,  the  whirlpool,  the  Devil's  Hole,  &c.,  to  all 
which  places  the  coach-drivers  will  conduct  you,  and 
give  such  inJbrmation  and  directions  as  you  may  need. 

In  order  to  cross  the  river,  proceed  from  the  bridge  to 
the  stair-case  near  the  edge  of  the  Falls,  at  the  foot  of 
which  you  will  have  a  very  near  view  of  the  highest  fall 
and  a  most  charming  prospect  of  the  entire  Falls. 

"  Above,  around,  beneath,  amazement  all ! 
Terror  and  glory  joined  in  their  extremes  1" 


:.  ■^ . 


'  'T!;5j.' 


Oil  can 
3a m  of 


e  Moss 

e  tJiese 

tliat  is 

seeding 

nearly 

skele- 

ler  site 

ight  to 
fferent 
d  real- 
f  time 
mine- 
to  all 
u,  and 
eed. 
dge  to 
bot  of 
St  fall 


THE  KALI.S. 


Directions  to  Travellers. 


17 


Take  a  look  from  the  window  of  the  stair-case  and  you 
will  realize  the  truth  of  Shakspeare's  description, 

*'  How  fearful 
And  dizzy  'tis  to  cast  one's  eyes  so  low  t 

I'll  look  no  more, 
Lest  iny  brain  turn  and  tlie  deficient  sight 
Topitle  down  headlong." 

In  crossing  i\\<i  river,  not  the  least  danger  need  be 
apprehended  ;  it  is  a  perfectly  safe  and  most  deligetful 
*  excursion,  and  persons  sometimes  swim  across  and  find 
-P: .  it  a  real  luxury.  The  time  occupied  in  crossing  is  ordina- 
^  rily  about  eight  minutes,  and  the  ferriage  is  18|  cents 
from  ]May  to  November,  and  25  cents  from  November  to 
'"_  May.  If  you  have  tiunka  or  other  baggage  to  be  trans- 
ported from  either  side  to  the  other,  the  ferryman  will 
v^;  convey  them  safely  at  a  reasonable  charge.  The  river 
is  here  76  rods  wide  and  250  feet  deep. 

Having  crossed  the  river,  you  proceed  up  the  bank  by 
a  carriage  road,  at  tlie  head  of  which  stands  the  Clifton 
House,  here  you  can  refresh  yourself,  and  proceed  to- 
■^^  wards  the  Table  Rock ;  about  half  way  between  the 
Hotel  and  Tabk  Rock,  stands  the  very  interesting  Mu- 
seum of  Mr.  Barnett,  which  visiters  should  by  no  means 
fail  to  visit.  This  gentleman  (Mr.  Barnett)  has  spent 
years  in  the  collection  of  his  Museum,  and  an  examina- 
tion of  its  contents  will  amply  prove  that  the  time  has 

ore  extended  notice  of 


not  been  spent  uselessly. 


2* 


18 


BOOK    OF 


Dirpctions  to  Travrll<*rs. 


this  museum  will  be  found  at  page  47.  Proceed  from  the 
Museum  to  Table  Rock,  where  you  will  fmd  a  spiral 
staircase,  from  the  foot  of  which  you  can  pass  153  feet 
behind  the  sheet  of  water.  This  staircase  is  under  the 
care  of  Mr.  Starkey,  who  furnishes  dresses  and  a  guide 
for  visiters  who  wish  to  go  behind  the  sheet ;  he  also 
keeps  a  reading  room  and  a  neat  and  inviting  shop  of 
refreshments.  An  examination  of  the  Albums  in  the 
establishment  of  of  Mr.  Starkey,  will  be  found  amusing 
as  well  as  interesting. 

From  Table  Rock  you  have  one  broad  and  imposing 
view  of  the  whole  Falls,  and  much  of  the  scenery  of  the 
rapids  and  islands.  Many  visiters  prefer  this  view  to 
any  other  ;  but  it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  view 
from  the  Terrapin  Bridge  is  superior, — it  combines  more 
of  the  beautiful  and  sublime. 

In  ascending  the  bank  from  Table  Rock  to  the  Hotels, 
you  have  a  fine  and  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding 
country,  and  can  visit  the  burning  spring,  Chippewa, 
Lundy's  Lane,  Brock's  Monument,  the  Welland  Canal, 
&c.  as  you  may  have  leisure  or  inclination. 

If  you  arrive  first  on  the  Canada  side,  proceed  directly 
to  Table  rock,  and  when  satisfied  with  looking  at  the 
amazing  scene  there,  both  from  above  and  below,  follow 
the  path  to  the  Ferry  and  cross  to  the  other  side,  and 
then  visit  Goat  Island  as  directed  above. 


^.'JU.•^i.  i,. 


'Sl*i*1f" 


IIIK  i'At.LS. 


19 


rom  the 

a  spiral 

53  feet 

ider  the 

a  guide 

he  also 

shop  of 

s  in  the 

imusing 


Niasaru  Uivcr  ...  Its  Sources. 


To  thofie  wLo  wiah  tJie  services  of  a  living  guide  in 
their  rambles  and  excursions,  Mr.  S.  Hooker,  on  the 
American  side,  offers  himself;  his  house  is  near  the 
Eagle  Hotel.  From  a  residence  of  twenty  years  at  the 
Falls,  he  is  enabled  to  conduct  visiters  to  all  the  objects 
of  interest,  in  the  vicinity,  and  to  give  them  much  valua- 
ble information.  Mr.  ?J.  G.  I.indsey,  vi^ho  keeps  an  es- 
tablishment next  to  the  Cataract  Hotel,  and  has  resided 
some  years  at  the  Falls,  also  offers  his  services  as  a  guide. 


^ 


Tiposing 
y  of  the 
view  to 
16  view 
les  more 

Hotels, 

funding 

ippewa. 

Canal, 

directly 
:  at  the 
,  follow 
de,  and 


1^ 


r;  •:•■. 


NIAGARA      R  I  V  K  R  ,      ITS     S  O  U  R  C  V.  S  , 
AND     ISLANDS. 

Niagara  river,  upon  which  the  Falls  are  situated,  re- 
ceives the  waters  of  all  the  upper  lakes,  as  Erie,  St.  Clair, 
Huron,  Michigan,  Superior,  and  a  number  of  smaller 
ones.  The  most  distant  source  of  the  Niagara  is  proba- 
bly tiie  river  St.  Louis,  which  rises  1250  miles  north-west 
of  the  Falls,  and  150  miles  west  of  Lake  Superior  ;  it  is 
1200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean,  and  falls  551  feet 
before  it  reaches  the  lake. 

Lake  Superior  is  459  miles  long  by  109  wide,  and  900 
feet  deep  :  it  is  discharged  into  lake  Huron  by  the  Strait 
St.  Mary,  60  miles  in  length,  making  a  descent  of  45 
feet.     This  lake  receives  the  waters  of  about  forty  rivers. 


.^ 


tM 


BOOK    OK 


Niiigani  Itivcr  .  .      its  Hourcca. 


Lake  Michigan  in  300  miles  by  50,  and  about  900  feet 
deep,  and  empties  into  Huron  through  the  Straits  of 
Mackinac  40  miles  in  length.  Connected  with  Michigan 
on  the  south-west  side,  is  Green  Bay,  100  miles  in  length 
by  about  20  in  v/idth.  Lade  Huron  is  218  miles  by  180, 
and  900  feet  deep,  and  is  discharged  into  Lake  Erie, 
through  the  rivers  St.  Clair  and  Detroit,  90  miles,  mak- 
ing a  descent  of  31  feet.  Lake  Erie  is  290  miles  by  C3, 
and  120  feet  deep,  and  564  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
It  empties  itself  through  Niagara  river,  35  miles  in  length, 
into  Lake  Ontario,  making  a  descent  of  334  feet,  viz  : — 
from  the  lake  to  Schlosser,  12  feet  ;  ihcrice  down  the 
rapids,  52  feet ;  the  perpendicular  Falls,  164  feet ;  from 
the  falls  to  Lewiston,  104  feet  ;  and  thence  to  Lake 
Ontario,  two  ieet. 

Lake  Ontario  is  180  miles  by  51,  and  500  foot  deep, 
and  discharges  itself  tiirough  the  river  St.  I^awronce 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  710  miles  distant. 

The  four  inland  seas  above  the  Falls — as  the  great 
Jjakes  may  properly  be  called — with  the  hundreds  of 
rivers  great  and  small,  that  flow  into  them,  cover  a  sur- 
face of  150,000  square  miles,  and  contain  nearly  half  the 
fresh  water  on  the  surfiico  of  the  globe.  From  these 
sources  of  the  Niagara,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the 
immense  quantity  of  water,  that  is  constantly  pouring 
over  the  Falls, 


■^^Wp" 


THK    FALLS. 


21 


00  feet 

aits  of 

chigan 

length 

yl80, 

Erie, 

3,  mal^- 

byC3, 

he  eea. 

length, 

viz  : — 

\vn  tlie 

t ;  from 

0  Lake 

t  deep, 
wrence 

?  great 
'eds   of 
•  a  sur- 
lalf  the 

1  these 
of  the 

ouring 


# 


'at 


Grand  and  N;ivy  Islimd. 


Niagara  River,  as  it  flows  from  Lake  Erie,  is  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  width,  and  from  twenty  to 
forty  feet  deep  ;  for  three  miles  it  has  a  rapid  current, 
and  then  it  beconjes  calm  and  smooth  till  within  one  niilo 
of  the  Falls. 

**  So  cjilin  ; — the  waters  scarci'Iy  scpjii  to  stray, 
And  yet  thry  Rlldr.  like  hai)pinos3  away." 

Five  miles  from  the  lake  the  river  begins  to  expand  till 
it  becomes  more  than  eight  miles  in  width,  measured 
across  Grand  Island,  and  embraces  before  it  roaches  the 
Falls,  about  forty  islands.  Of  these  the  largest  are 
Grand  and  Navy.  Navy  Island,  belonging  to  Canada, 
pontains  304  acres  of  good  land,  and  terminates  near 
Chippow^a  point.  This  Island  has  acquired  some  noto- 
riety in  consequence  of  being  the  resort  during  the  winter 
of  1837 — 8  of  a  large  body  of  men  headed  by  William  L. 
Makenzie,  whose  object  was  a  revolution  in  the  govern- 
ment of  Upper  Canada.  Batteries  were  erected  upon  the 
island  and  considerable  powder  was  burned  in  exchanging 
compliments  between  the  island  and  Chippewa,  but  as 
far  as  we  hava  been  able  to  learn,  but  one  man  was  ever 
killed  on  the  island.  It  was  finally  evacuated  some 
time  in  January  1838,  and  has  since,  we  believe,  remain- 
ed quietly  in  the  possession  of  the  British  Government. 

Grand  Island  commences  five  miles  from  the  lake,  is 
twelve  miles  in  length,  measured  round  its  edge,  and  from 


"A'     Ml.. 


'■•T' 


*^ 


BOUK    OF 


VVhiii   Huveii  .  .  .  Timber  Company. 


^/ 


thrcfl  to  six  in  width,  and  terminates  three  miles  above 
the  Falls,  co  Gaining  17,384  acres.  The  land  is  well 
timbered,  rich  and  productive.  As  the  deepest  channel 
of  tlie  river,  forming  the  boundary  line,  runs  on  the  weft 
side,  this  island,  until  recently,  has  belonged  toth  Siai-e 
of  New  York  ;  but  in  the  year  ISOiJ,  a  con^i^any  llotii 
Boston  purchased  nearly  the  whole  of  th»:  Island,  and 
have  recently  erected  upon  it,  near  the  site  of  the  famous 
Jewish  city,  Arrarat,  (projected  in  1625  by  Major  Noah, 
of  New  York,)  a  steam  gristmill,  and  a  saw  mill  150  feet 
square,  containing  15  sets  or  gangs  of  saws.  This  mill 
is  intended  to  saw  ship  stuff  of  every  description,  from 
20  to  70  feet,  in  length,  and  will  probably  be  one  of  the 
most  extensive  establishments  of  its  kind  in  America. 
The  name  of  their  village  is  **  Wiiitc  Haven,"  situated 
nearly  opposite  Tonawanta,  where  the  Erie  Canal  locks 
into  the  Niagara  river.  It  is  approached  by  a  ferry  across 
the  river,  here  100  rods  wide,  and  has  increased,  since 
Nov.  1833,  from  one  solitary  family  to  more  tlian  fifty  ; 
it  has  also  many  work-shoj  .  ot  e,  a  scuool  house,  a 
commodious  wharf  several  hundred  feet  long,  and  a  spa- 
cious dock  made  of  piles,  for  storing  and  securing  floating 
ti?aber. 

In  JuUf  1759,  during  the  old  French  war,  two  large 
French  vessels,  in  danger  of  being  taken  by  the  British, 
were  burnt  and  sunk  in  what  is  called  Burnt  Ship  Bay, 


^.^jsk.. 


t«-J 


V     » "Viy  • 


riOOK    OK 


83 


Otiicr  iF^Iiindi  .  .  .  The  riie  und  full  of  Ninsnra. 


noar  Iho  lower  oud  of  liiis  islantl.  Some  parts  of  them 
arc  still  viHible  ;  and  some  years  eiiirf",  a  party  of  men,  by 
riikiiifT  the  river  at  that  place,  secured  a  number  of  tons 
of  iron. 

Among  the  other  iwlanda  of  the  river,  tlie  following 
are  perhaps  most  deserving  of  notice,  viz  :  Bird  Island 
between  Buffalo  and  Fort  Krie  ;  Squaw  Island,  contain- 
ing 131  acres,  opposite  Black  Rock  •  Stravrberry  Isl.uds, 
containing  about  100  acres  ;  Beaver  Island  of  30  acres; 
Rattle-snake  Island  of  48  acres  ;  Tonawanta  Island,  op- 
posite the  creek  and  village  of  that  n  ime,  containing  ()9 
acres  ;  Cayuga  Island  near  the  New  York  shore,  four 
miles  above  the  Falls  containing  about  100  acres  ;  Buck- 
horn  Island,  near  the  lower  end  of  Grand  and  near  Navy 
Islands,  containing  146  acres  ;  and  a  n  unber  of  smaller 
islands,  in  and  immediately  above  the  rapids,  besides 
Goat  Island,  &c.  hereafter  to  be  describrd. 

One  feature  of  the  Niagara  river  somev  hat  peculiar,  is 
that  neither  the  snows  of  winter,  nor  the  evaporation  of 
summer,  neither  rains  nor  drought,  niatei  illy  affect  it  ; 
its  waters  flow  on,  full  and  clear,  perpetually  the  same  ; 
except,  as  has  long  been  observed,  they  have  a  small 
srradual  rise  and  fall  about  once  in  seven  years.  The 
cause  of  this  is  unknown,  but  is  undoubtedly  to  be  sought 
in  something  affecting  the  upper  lakes.  Indeed,  it  has 
often  been  asserted  by  travellers,  that  these  lakes  have 


^ 


M 


<  ■m 


-.  J  ^ 


'3s.i.«%^  -.;■ 


iTj;  7/ ■>;'<>; 


24 


BOOK,  or 


The  llapids. 


septennial  fluxes  and  refluxes  ;  it  is  also  asserted  by  some^ 
that  they  have  small  diurnal  tides.  This  however,  may 
reasonably  be  doubted. 


THE    RAPIDS. 

1  must  here  apprise  the  reader,  that  it  were  vain  to 
attempt  a  graphic  description  of  the  Falls  and  surround- 
ing scenery  ;  for  they  so  immeasurably  exceed  every 
thing  of  the  kind  elsewliere  seen  or  even  imagined,  that 
no  power  of  language  can  give  any  adequate  idea  of  them 
to  those  who  have  not  been  present  to  hear  and  see  for 
themselves.  Capt.  Basil  Hall  remarks,  "  All  parts  of 
the  Niagara  are  on  a  scale  which  baffles  every  attempt 
of  the  imagination,  and  it  were  ridiculous  therefore  to 
think  of  describing  it  ;  the  ordinary  means  of  description, 
1  mean  analogy,  and  direct  comparison,  with  things 
which  are  more  accessible,  fail  entirely  in  the  case  of 
that  amazing  cataract,  which  is  altogether  unique." 

"  All  the  pictures  you  may  see,"  says  J.  J.  Audubon, 
"all  the  descriptions  you  may  read,  of  these  mighty 
Falls,  can  only  produce  in  your  mind  the  faint  glimmer 
of  the  glow-worm,  compared  with  the  overpowering 
glory  of  the  meridian  sun." 

These  scenes  which  are  sketched  in  the  following  pages 
may  be  considered,  therefore,  only  as  a  very  faint  out- 
line, or  shadow,  of  the  reality. 


f.  ^  jknlm*-    ^ 


..Lii^^ 


'■"^: 


nn:  falls. 


25 


The  nai»iU3  .  .  .  llonr  of  t,l\e  Falls. 


Below  the  termination  of  Grand  and  Navy  Islands, 
the  river  is  compressed  to  the  widtli  of  two  and  a  half 
miles  ;  and  pressing"  forward  with  accelerated  motion, 
it  commences,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  above  the 
Falls,  a  rapid  descent,  making  within  that   distance   a 
slope  or  succession  ol  chutes,  amounting  to  fifty-two  feet 
on  the  American  side,   and  fifty-seven  on  tlie  other. — 
The   tremendous  and  beautiful  rapids  lime  formed,  con- 
stitute a  very  important  part  of  the  grand  and  unparal- 
leled curiosities   of  this  river.     Were  they  in  any  other 
place,   they  would  of  themselves  be  considered  as  a  scene 
of  great   beauty  and    sublimity,   e<pialled  only   by   the 
ocean    vv'hen   lashed  into  foam  and  fury  by  the   angry 
tempest.       Many  vitntcrs  express   themselves   more  de- 
lighted, and  unexpectedly  filled  with  v/onder,  at  seeing 
the  Rapids,   tliun  the  Falls  t]]v?mselves. 

'•  Tliroti;;!!  spnvkiing  F.pray  in  tliv.ii  Icriiiy  (iutili, 
T!i';  lij^litiiiii;,'  of  the  water  Hash, 
111  awful  whiteness  o'er  tlu^  ^horc, 
That  slsir.cs  and  shakes  beneath  the  roar." 

Two  miles  above  the  Falls,  in  approaching  from 
Buffalo,  you  come  in  sight  of  the  white  crested  breakers, 
more  than  a  mile  in  width,  dasliing,  foaming,  and  tossing 
from  ten  to  thirty  feet  above  the  main  current  ;  and  at 
the  same  time  hear  a  low,  monotonous,  tremendous  roar; 
and  as  you  approach  nearer,  feel  a  tremulous  motion  ot 

It:  O 


■J  ,. 


■^m 


.# 


rsij 


•^w?r''v 


SO 


BOOK    OF 


Roar  of  the  Falls  .  .  .  Distance  which  it  has  been  heard. 


\^ 


act''' 


the  earth.  The  distance  at  which  this  roar  can  be  heard,  i 
varies,  with  the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  ordinarily  from 
five  to  twenty  miles,  though  it  is  sometimes  distinctly 
heard  at  Toronto,  fifty  miles  distant.  And  yet  in  the 
village  near  the  Falls,  it  is  scarcely  heard  at  all.  The 
mist,  arising  like  curlir.g  smoke,  and  separating  as  it 
rises  into  masses  of  fantastic  clouds,  is  seen  at  the  dis- 
tance of  from  three  to  fifty  miles.  This  distance  depends 
upon  the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  the  height  of  the  sun, 
and  the  force  and  direction  of  the  wind.  This  mist 
sometimes  rises  in  immense  masses,  and  sometimes  in  a 
pyramidal  shape  to  a  very  great  height,  and  is  an  object 
of  great  curiosity,  especially  in  the  morning  soon  after 
sun-rise.  It  then  sparkles  like  diamonds,  and  becomes 
illuminated  with  the  most  brilliant  prismatic  colors. 


*  "  Niagara  !  Niagara  !  I  hear 

'  Thy  tumbling  waters.    And  I  see  thee  rear 
Thy  thundering  sceptre  to  the  clouded  skis's  -, 
1  see  it  wave — T  hear  tiie  ocean  rise, 
And  roll  obedient  to  thy  call-    I  hear 
The  teiDpcst-hynining  of  thy  flood  in  fear  ; 
The  quaking  mountains  and  the  nodding  trees — 
The  reeling  birds — and  the  careering  breeze — 
The  tottering  hills,  unsteadied  in  thy  roar  ; 
Niagara  !  as  thy  dark  waters  pour, 
One  everlasting  earthquake  rocks  thy  lofty  shore." 

From  Table  Rock,    you  have  an  extensive   and  pic- 
turesque view  of  the  rapids  ;  but  they  are  seen  to  much 


%■ 


been  heard. 

can  be  heard,  [ 
)rdinarily  from 
mes  distinctly 
Ind  yet  in  the 
d  at  all.     The 
parating  as  it 
een  at  the  dis- 
jtance  depenus 
^ht  of  the  sun, 
d.     This   mist 
sometimes  in  a 
,nd  is  an  object 
ling  soon  after 
,  and  becomes 
tic  colors. 


'^tf 


ar 
Eir 


#- 


trees — 

"/,C — 

.r  ; 


fty  sliore." 


"'  ** 


gnsive   and  pic- 
e  seen  to  much 


-ST-  -  -sir  • 


.)»■#  ■■ 


mil, 


THE    FALLS. 


27 


Goat  Island. 


-'» 


better  advantage  from  the  shore  half  a  mile  above,  and 
especially  from  the  different  sides  of  Goat  Tsland.  From 
the  south-west  corner  of  this  island,  just  above  the  Moss 
islands,  you  have  by  far  the  best  view  that  can  be  taken 
from  any  place.  There  is  too,  an  amazing  rush  of 
water  between  the  Moss  islands,  the  force  and  sublimity 
of  which  may  be  conceived,  but  not  described.  Reader, 
go  there,  and  you  will  be  fixed  for  a  time  in  mute  asto- 
nishment. 


w 


«;■' 


GOAT,    OR   IKIS   ISLAND. 

Goat  Island,  is  so  called  from  the  circumstance,  that 
about  the  year  1770,  Mr.  Steadman,  then  resident  at 
Schlosser,  contrived  by  some  means  to  put  a  few  goats 
upon  the  island  ;  but  its  more  appropriate  and  adopted 
name  is  Iris  Island.  It  commences  near  the  head  of  the 
rapids,  almost  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  and  extends  to 
the  precipice,  dividing  the  Falls  into  two  sheets.  It  is 
half  a  mile  in  length,  and  one  fourth  of  a  milg  in  width, 
and  contains  seventy-five  acres  of  rich  and  heavy  tim- 
bered land.  Situated  in  the  midst  of  the  rapids,  and  sur- 
rounded by  them  on  three  sides,  this  island  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful,  fascinating  and  romantic  places  in  the 
world  ;  it  affords  a  delightful  retreat  for  *<  the  lunatic, 


% 


■'JPEWpfT^lt'lT 


■■;^c 


28 


BOOK    OF 


Scenery  .  . .  Enrlioat  Dates. 


the  lover,  and  the  poet,"  to  indulge  in  their  meditations. 
Fanned  by  gentle  breezes,  thickly  and  delightfully  sha- 
ded, free  from  noisome  insects,  incircled  by  a  neat  walk, 
and  presenting  to  the  visiter  a  great  variety  of  views  of 
the  Falls  and  rapids,  he  feels  a  reluctance  on  leaving  it, 
and  is  wont  to  exclaim  with  Montgomery, 

"  If  God  hath  mtide  this  world  so  fair, 
Wliero  sin  and  death  abound  ; 
How  heautiful,  heyond  compare,  * 

Will  Paradise  be  found  !" 

or  with  Eve,  in  the  language  of  Milton, 

"  Must  I  thus  leave  thee,  Paradise  ? 

»    Tliese  happy  walks  and  shades, 

Fit  haunt  of  Gods  ?" 

About  two-thirdsof  this  island  are  still  covered  with 
tall  trees,  many  of  v»^hich  are  clothed  with  a  magnificent 
drapery  of  ivy  and  other  creeping  plants,  and  many  have 
been  killed  by  reason  of  the  countless  names  that  have 
been  cut  into  their  bark.  So  strong  is  the  desire  of  man 
for  immortality,  that  few  can  resist  the  temptation  to 
leave  soma  memorial  of  their  visit  to  the  Falls.  The 
earliest  genuine  date  of  any  name  yet  found,  is  in  the 
year  1769,  though  names  have  been  cut  within  a  few 
years  and  dated  ba  ck  as  early  as  1 745  ;  but  on  the  rocks 
near  the  Falls  on  the  American  side,  there  are  names 
chiselled  out  and  dated  1711,  172<5i  1745,  ^c.     On  Goat 


4&';&V,.«i 


THE   FALLS. 


99 


Indian  Remains  . .  .  Garden. 


Island,  a  number  of  human  skeletons  have,  within  a  few 
years,   been  dug  up  ;  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  In- 
dians buried  in  a  former  age,  and  many  more  are  doubt- 
less now  resting  there  in  undisturbed  repose.  There  may 
they  rest,  in  nature's  solitude,  till  the  Great  Spirit  calls 
them  hence.     On  this  island  is  found  a  very  great  variety 
of  wild  plants,   shrubs  and  flowers  ;  nearly  two  hundred 
different  species,  some  of  them  very  rare,  have  already 
been  discovered.      Of  the   Tillium  Grandijloraj  sixteen 
varieties  are    found  here.      The  seeds   of  plants   and 
flowers,  from  the  shores  of  all  the  upper  lakes  and  rivers, 
have   probably  been  washed  upon  this   island.     Some 
years  since,  a  number  of  deer  were  put  upon  this  island, 
which  soon  became  quite  tame  ;  but  visiters,  in  order  to 
see  them  jump,  would  occasionally  frighten  them,  when 
they  would  immediately  betake  themselves  to  the  rapids, 
and  thus  were  carried  over  the  Falls,  until  all  were  final- 
ly destroyed. 

When  the  present  proprietor  shall  have  completed  the 
spacFous  garden  recently  laid  out,  in  which  he  designs  to 
cultivate  all  the  fruits  that  will  grow  in  this  mild  and 
genial  climate,  and  shall  have  finished  the  many  other 
improvements  which  he  has  projected,  no  other  place, 
perhaps,  in  the  world  will  present  attractions  equal  to 
those   of  Goat  Island.     The  approach  to  it  is  from  the 

American  side,  by  means  of  a  bridge  of  the  most  dfficult 

3* 


^J» 


•i'-. 


-,'-*••>  . 


7f?^  ■ 


,J.^»-^-*>     VT^'T-  .t-'^-- 


30 


BOOK    OV 


Toll  IIousi; .  .  .  Crntro  Fall. 


and  hazardous  construction,  which  extends  from  the 
shore,  28  rods,  to  Bath  Island,  and  thence  16  rods  fur- 
ther, to  Goat  Island. 

There  are  many  other  beautiful  islands  situated  among 
the  rapids  of  this  river,  a  number  of  which,  as  Bath, 
Ship,  and  Luna  are,  and  all  the  rest  might  be,  connected 
with  Goat  Island  by  bridges,  and  afford  the  most  charm- 
ing and  impressive  views  of  the  surrounding  scenery. 
On  Bath  Island,  which  is  24  rods  in  length,  containing 
about  two  acres,  is  the  Toll  House,  kept  by  Mr.  A.  B. 
Jacobs,  who  also  furnishes  visiters  with  warm  and  cold 
batlis.     Let  it  be  remembered,  that 

"  Even  from  the  body's  purity,  the  mind 
Receives  u  secret  ayiupathetie  aid." 

On  this  island  is  situated  Porter's  extensive  Paper  MilL 
three  stories  liigh,  in  which  may  bo  manufactured  yearly 
JO,Oi)0  reams  of  paper. 

Luna  Island,  about  30  yards  in  vvidth,  stands  directly 
on  the  precipice  near  Goat  Island,  and  divides  the  stream, 
a  part  of  which  forms  the  moot  splendid  cascade,  perhaps 
in  the  world.  This  is  about  twenty-two  yards  in  width, 
and  is  sometimes  called  the  *' Centre  Fall,"  to  distin- 
guish it  from  tJie  other  two  main  sheets.  Approaching 
this  island  from  the  foot  of  what  is  called,  from  the  shape 
of  the  path,  t^»e  **  Hog's  back,"  visiters  have,  from  the 


the 
fur- 


rttfi  FAi.tS. 


Si 


Beat  view  of  the  Aitierio.K  .'all. 


north-west  corner,  a  much  better  view  of  the  American 
Fall  than  can  be  obtained  from  any  other  place.  This 
Fall,  like  the  other,  has  evidently  changed  its  shape  with- 
in a  few  years,  and  has  now  nearly  as  much  of  a  resem- 
blance to  a  horse  shoe  as  the  other. 

There  are  ten  other  islands  in  the  rapids  besides  those 
above  mentioned,  containing  perhaps  from  one  fourth  to 
an  acre  each,  to  all  or  any  of  which  bridges  might,  pro- 
bably,  be  constructed. 


A'  H  K    FALL  S — T  ERR  AT  IN    BIllD^JE    AND    TO  W  E  R. 


*Mif\ 


The  broad  river,  as  it  comes  thundering  and  foaming 
down  the  declivity  of  the  rapids,  at  length  leaps  the 
cataract,  thrco-fourtli  of  a  mile  in  width,  and  falls,  as  it 
were,  to  the  central  caves  of  the  earth.  The  mind, 
filled  with  amazement,  recoils  at  the  spectacle,  and  loses 
for  a  moment,  its  equilibrium.  The  trembhng  of  the 
earth,  the  mighty  rush  and  eonflict  and  deafening  roar 
of  the  water,  the  clouds  of  mist  sparkling  with  rainbows, 
produce  an  effect  upon  the  beholder,  often  quite  over- 
powering ;  and  it  is  only  after  the  scene  has  become 
somewhat  familiar  to  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  the  imagina-- 


f;^;;- 


:t4- 


..  ■«»'       #T.-'* 


#^-?*'    -^.'ti^-'-'.r'^  ^f .-"7 :.w».'t:t;'^-'v- f  - 


32 


BOOK    OP 


Height  of  the  Falls. 


tion,  that  its  real  grandeur  and   sublimity  is   properly 
realized  and  felt. 

"  To  sit  on  rocks,  to  muse  on  flood  and  fell, 
To  slowly  trace  the  forest's  shady  scene. 
Where  things  that  own  not  man's  dominion  dwell, 
And  mortal  foot  hath  ne'er  or  rarely  been  ; 

H-  H-  *  >i-  y.-  n- 

*  *  X-  *  X-  * 

Alone  o'er  steeps  and  foaming  fall.*  to  lean  ^ 
This  is  not  solitude  ;  'tis  but  to  lield 
Converse  with  nature's  charms,  and  sec  her  stores  unrolled." 

m 

The  water  on  the  American  side,  as  ascertained  by 
frequent  measurement,  falls  164  feet,  and  on  the  Canada 
side,  158  feet.  The  fall  ci-  the  Canada  side,  embracing 
much  the  largest  channel  of  the  river,  is  called,  from  the 
shape  of  the  precipice,  the  **  Crescent  or  Horse-shoe 
Fall,"  and  near  to  this  a  bridge,  called  the  Terrapin 
Bridge,  has  been  constructed,  300  feet  in  length,  from 
Goat  Island,  and  projecting  ten  feet  over  the  Falls. — 
Near  the  termination  of  this  bridge,  in  the  water,  and 
on  the  very  verge  of  the  precipice,  a  stone  tower,  forty- 
five  feet  high,  with  winding  steps  to  the  top,  was  erected 
in  the  year  1833,  from  which,  or  from  the  end  of  the 
bridge,  the  effect  of  the  Falls  upon  the  beholder  is  most 
awfully  sublime  and  utterly  indescribable.  The  sublime, 
arising  from  obscurity,  is  here  experienced  in  its  greatest 
force.     The  eye,  unable  to  discover  the  bottoni  of  the 


ij;-<sf^fi'»i*;f~>f 


THE    FALLS. 


Tower  and  Rrular  .  .  .  Solnr  how. 


Falls,  or  even  to  penetrate  the  mist  that  seems  to  hang^ 
as  a  veil  over  the  amazing  and  terrific  scene,  gives  place 
to  the  imagination,  and  the  mind  is  instinctively  elevated 
and  filled  with  majestic  dread.     Here  is 

'*  All  that  exp.'inds  the  spirit,  yet  appnls." 


"  An:l  sucli  was  fhat  rainbow,  that  boautifiil  one, 
AViiosc  arcli  was  refraction,  its  kcy-stonc — the  sun  ; 
A  paviliion  it  soonied  with  a  Deity  graced, 
And  justice  and  mercy  met  there  and  enjbraQed," 


I 


Tlie  solar  and  lunar  bows,  the  river  above  and  below, 
and  indeed  the  whole  scenery  of  the  Falls  and  rapids, 
appear  to  better  advantage  from  this  point  than  from  any 
other  ;  and  no  visiter  on  either  side  should  presume  to 
leave  the  Falls  without  visiting  this  tower  and  bridge. 
From  the  top  of  the  tower  especially,  he  will  realize  the 
force  and  beauty  of  the  following  description,  which  with 
the  change  of  a  single  word,  applies  admirably  to  this 
matchless  scene  :  ' 


''  The  roar  of  waters  I  From  the  headlong  height 
Niagara  cleaves  the  wave-worn  precipice  ; 
The  fall  of  waters  !  rapid  as  the  liglit, 
The  fli!shing  mass  foams  shaking  the  ohyss  ; 
The  liell  of  waters  1  where  they  howl  and  hiss, 
And  l)oil  in  endless  torture  ;  while  the  sweat 
Of  their  great  agony,  wrung  out  from  this 
Their  J?hlcgethon,  curls  round  the  rocks  of  jet 
That  gird  tlie  guif  around,  in  pitiless  horror  set. 


■■  ■> 


BOOK  or 


w* 


Lunar  Bow. 


And  mounts  in  spray  the  fklos,  and  thence  nKHin 
Returns  in  an  unerasing  shower,  which  round 
With  its  uneniptiet]  cloud  of  gentle  rain 
Is  an  eternal  April  to  the  ground, 
Making  It  all  one  emerald  ; — how  profound 
The  gulf !— and  how  the  giant  element 
From  rock  to  rock  leaps  with  delirious  bound, 
Crushing  the  cliffy,  which  downward  worn  and  rent, 
With  his  fierce  footsteps,  yield  in  chusuis  a  fearful  vent. 


*  *  *  *  Look  back ! 

Lo  !  tvhere  it  comes  like  an  eternity. 
As  if  to  sweep  down  all  things  in  its  track, 
Charming  the  eye  with  dread, — a  matchless  cataract, 
Horribly  beautiful !  but  on  the  verge. 
From  side  to  side,  beneath  the  glittering  morn. 
An  Iris  sits,  amid  the  infernal  durge. 
Like  Hope  upon  a  death-bed,  and,  unworn 
Its  steady  dies,  while  all  around  is  torn 
By  the  distracted  waters,  bears  serene 
Its  brilliant  hues  with  all  their  beams  unshorn, 
Kesembling,  'mid  the  torture  of  the  scene, 
Love  watching  Madness  with  unalterable  mien."  ' 


*» 


The  lunar  bow,  seen  at  night,  in  the  time  of  full  moon, 
appears  like  a  brightly  illuminated  arch,  reaching  from 
side  to  side,  and  is  an  object  of  great  attraction, — espe- 
-cially  as  the  world  presents  only  a  few  other  places  where 
«uch  a  bow  is  ever  seen, 

**  Hung  on  tlie  curling  mist,  the  moonlight  bow 
Arches  the  oerilous  river," 


.•*  ii^k^i^^  %' " 


^"A^"^.^*!^! 


0 


Ttte    f*ALLS. 


35 


Itoiimntic  Incident  .  .  .  Biddle  Stnircaie. 


Goat  Island,  in  a  moonlight  night,  is  the  resort  of 
great  multitudes,  where  they  find  themselves  introduced 
to  a  scene  of  unrivalled  beauty  and  magnificence.  The 
rapidi  at  such  a  time  sparkle  with  phosphoric  splendor, 
and  nature  around  wears  an  irresistible  charm  of  loveli- 
ness.    There  is 

"  A  silver  light,  wliicli  hallowiiis  tree  r.nd  tower, 
Sheds  beauty  mid  deep  softness  o'e.r  the  whole." 

The  writer  once  had  the  pleasure  of  joining  a  lovely 
couple  in  marriage,  about  11  o'clock  on  one  of  the 
brightest  nights  he  has  ever  known,  in  full  view  of  this 
enchanting  scene,  and  then  of  taking  a  romantic  excur- 
sion with  the  party  around  the  island.  This  was  poetry 
indeed  ;  it  was  one  of  those  bright  and  verdant  oases 
sometimes  met  with  in  the  journey  of  life.  May  all  their 
days  be  equally  bright  and  their  rambles  equally  pleasant. 


■■;  *\ 


B  1  D  D  L  K    S  T  A  I  11  C  A  S  E — HL  OLUS        CAVE. 

At  the  lower  end  of  Goat  Island,  about  one-third  across 
it,  a  stair-case,  erected  in  the  year  1829,  at  the  expense 
of  Nicholas  Biddle,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  gives  visiters 
an  opportunity  of  descending  below  the  bank  and  of 
passing  a  considerable  distance  behind  the  two  main 
sheets  of  water.    The  descent  from  the  top  of  the  island 


7^f'- 


,.-":'f«^'iisiij!i  &./ai&iis!fe>.tf^ 


i-V  1 1    J      tf  '% 


m 


BOOK.    OV 


Sam  rutcli.  .  .  Cave  ol"  the  Winds. 


*- 


to  the  margin  of  tlie  riv^er  is  185  feet.  A  common  fliglit 
of  steps  leads  down  40  feet  to  the  perpendicular  spiral 
steps,  90  in  number,  which  are  enclosed  in  a  building  in 
the  shape  of  a  hexagon  resting  on  a  firm  foundation  at 
the  bottom.  From  the  foot  of  the  building  there  are 
tliree  patlis  leading  to  the  most  important  points  of 
observation,  one  of  which  lend^  to  the  river  below,  80 
feet,  where  visiters  will  find  one  of  the  finest  fishing 
places  in  this  part  of  tJie  v/orkl.  All  the  varieties  of  fisli 
existing  in  Lake  Ontario  are  found  here,  among  which 
are  sturgeon,  pike,  pickerel,  black  and  white  bass, 
herrings,  cat-fish,  eels,  &c.  Here  was  Sam  Patch's 
jumping  place.  The  path  at  the  left  of  the  stair-case 
leads  to  the  great  Crescent  Fall,  where,  when  the  wind 
blows  up  the  river,  a  safe  and  delightful  passage  is  open- 
»  ed  behind  the  sheet  of  water. 

The  path  to  the  right  leads  to  a  magnificent  Cave, 
appropriately  named  when  it  was  first  discovered,  twenty- 
five   years  since,   TEolus'   Cave,   or  Cavo   of  the  Winds. 

This  cave  is  about  120  feet  across,  50  feet  wide  and  100 
feet  high  ;  it  is  situated  directly  behind  the  Centre  Fall, 
which  at  the  bottom  is  more  than  100  feet  wide,  and 
were  the  rocks  excavated  a  little  and  a  few  steps  made, 
visiters  could  safely  pass  into  and  entirely  through  the 
cave  behind  the  sheet  of  water.  Beyond  this  cave  at 
the  foot  of  Luna  island,   there  is  an  open  space  where 


T:f)i_,   -. 


THE    FALLS. 


37 


Passage  behind  lliR  Falls. 


air-case 


persons  may  amuse  themselves  at  leisure  upon  the  rocks, 
over  which  the  floods  are  pouring,  and  then  venture  in 
as  far  as  they  please  behind  the  whole  American  Fall. 

The  virriter  of  these  pages  first  conceived  the  idea  of 
effecting  an  entrance  into  this  cave,  July  14,  1834,  wliile 
passing  in  front  of  the  American  Fall  in  a  boat,  and  the 
next  day  it  was  effected  for  the  first  time  by  passing 
round  the  outside  of  the  fall  and  descending  from  the 
foot  of  Luna  island.  Accompanying  the  above  idea, 
was  a  project  of  passing  behind  the  whole  American 
Fall,  56  rods,  and  coming  out  near  the  Ferry.  This  pas- 
sage, though  not  yet  effected,  is  believed  to  be  possible  ; 
for  the  opening  between  the  sheet  of  water  as  it  falls,  and 
the  rock  behind  is  from  15  to  50  feet  wide,  and  there  are 
rocks  to  walk  upon  through  the  whole  distance.  If 
there  be  any  insurmountable  obstacle,  it  will  probably  be 
found  in  the  tremendous  wind  and  spray  occasioned  by 
the  falling  flood.  A  passage  into  the  cave  was  at  first 
considered  a  great  exploit,  but  a  passage  behind  the 
whole  sheet  would  be  inconceivably  greater.  The  cave 
itself  is  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  wonders,  a  visit  to  which  no 
person  ought  to  omit.  Ladies  and  gentlemen  can  very 
often,  when  the  wind  blows  down  the  river,  pass  a  con- 
siderable distance  behind  the  sheet  of  water  within  the 
cave  without  getting  wet  at  all.     The  view  presented  to 

a  person  while   iij  the  cave,   in  cpnnexion  with  the  tre- 

4 


.(■if, 


imii 


^JSL'^^  ' 


.18 


BOOK    OF 


I 


> 


-k-- 


Rain-bow.  .  .  Extract  from  Bruinard. 


mendous  and  astounding  roar  of  waters,  which,  owing 
to  the  echoes  or  reverberations,  is  apparently  a  hundred 
times  greater  here  than  any  where  else,  will  enable  him 
to  appreciate  the  following  beautiful  and  graphic  lines 
of  Brainard, — especially  as  there  is  always  in  the  after- 
noon when  the  sun  shines,  a  bright  rain-bow  visible  di- 
rectly within  the  cave  and  behind  the  sheet  of  water. 

"  The  thoughts  arc  stranga  that  crowd  into  my  lirain, 
While  I  look  upwards  to  thee.    It  would  seem. 
As  if  God  poured  thee  from  his  hollow  hand, 
And  hung  his  bow  upon  thy  awful  front, 
And  spoke  in  that  loud  voice,  which  seemed  to  him 
Who  dwelt  in  Patmos  for  his  Saviour's  sake, 
'The  sound  of  many  waters  •,'  and  had  bade 
Thy  flood  to  chronicle  the  ages  back. 
And  notch  His  centuries  in  the  eternal  rocks. 

Deep  calleth  unto  deep.    And  what  are  we, 
That  hear  the  question  of  that  /oice  sublime  ? 
Oh  !  what  are  the  notes  that  ever  rung 
Frono  war's  vain  trumpet  by  thy  thundering  side  ? 
Yea,  what  is  all  the  riot  man  can  make 
In  liis  short  life,  to  thy  unceasing  roar  ! 
And  yet,  bold  babbler,  what  art  thou  to  Him 
Who  drowned  a  world,  and  heaped  the  waters  far 
Above  its  loftiest  mountains  ? — a  light  wave,     - 
That  breaks  and  whispers  of  its  Maker's  might.'' 

How  little  and  insignificant  do  the  efforts  of  man  ap- 
pear, when  measured  by  this  exhibition  of  Omnipotence! 
The  earthquake,  the  volcano,  the  wide  spread  conflagra- 
tion, the  shock  of  contending  armies  are  sublime  and 
terrific  spectacles,  though  short  in  their  continuance  and 


■3??K 


■# 


•■•itihlffWHi^T' 


■'■f* 


THE    FALLS 


39 


Ferry  to  the  Canada  side. 


limited  in  their  effects  ;  but  here,  ever  since  the  flood 
probabku  the  deafening  and  incessant  roar  of  the  mighliest 
cataract  on  the  globe  has  called  upon  the  children  of  men 
to  fall  down  and  adore  their  Maker. 


f^ 


,€v* 


THE    FERRY. 


There  is  another  stair-case  leading  down  the  bank 
about  six  rods  below  the  Falls,  where  visiters  will  find  a 
safe  ferry  to  the  Canada  side,  and  have  an  opportunity 
of  viewing  a  scene  of  surpassing  grandeur.  The  deep- 
green  glassy  river  beneath,  the  awful  precipice  of  rocks, 
and  the  mighty  floods  rolling  and  tumbling  from  the 
heights  above,  and  the  singularly  wild,  romantic,  and 
variegated  scenery  arond,  fill  the  mind  of  the  beholder 
with  sensations  not  to  be  described.  Here  one  may  per- 
ceive the  propriety  and  beauty  of  the  figure  representing 
Him,  who  is  the  '*  Rock  of  ages,"  as  "  the  shadow  of  a 
great  rock  in  a  weary  land,"  to  those  who  fly  to  him  for 
refuge. 

*'  While  viewing  thee 
1  think  how  grand  and  beautlfdl  is  God, 
When  man  lias  not  intruded  on  his  works, 
JJut  left  his  bright  creation  unimpaired. 

Klegsed  ycencs » 


.%rf^ 


v 


•i^L 


40 


BOOK  or 


City  of  the  Falls. 


i  -i 


*  *  *  it  19  no  mortal  touch 

That  sharpened  thy  rough  brow,  or  fringed  thy  skirtj 
.  With  coarse  luxuri.'ince  ; — 'twas  the  lightnings's  fo 
Dashed  its  strong  flash  across  thee,  and  did  point 
The  crag  ;  or,  with  his  stormy  tliunderbolt, 
The  Ahnigliiy  Architect  himself  disjoined 
Yon  roclc  •,  then  flung  it  down  where  now  it  hangs, 
And  said,  do  thou  lie  there." 

The  Ferryman,  S.  L.  Ware,  Esq.,  on  the  American, 
and  Mr.  J.  Shultersburgh,  on  the  Canada  side,  are  both 
very  civil  and  accommodating,  well  acquainted  with  their 
business,  and  able  to  give  much  information  to  visiters. 
Whenever  required,  they  take  parties  out  on  pleasure  or 
fishing  excursions,  and  thus  enable  them  to  take  a  more 
extensive  view  of  the  gorgeous  river  scenery.  The  con- 
struction of  a  carriage  road  is  now  in  progress  down  these 
perpendicular  banks,  so  as  to  have  a  ferry  for  teams  and 
carriages  ;  and  when  this  is  completed,  it  must  become 
a  great  and  important  thoroughfare  for  travellers. 


CANADA    VIEWS — CITY    OF    THE    FALLS. 

Directly  opposite  the  Falls  on  the  Canada  side,  an  en- 
terprising Company,  having  purchased  the  grounds  for- 
merly owned  by  Mr.  Forsyth,  have  projected  and  laid  out 
a  city  which  they  call  <-The  City  of  the  Falls,"  and 
are  now  making  very  coiisiderable  improvements.     They 


,"«.!„ 


'Vjf  '  '"■.'JT' 


i  -  • 


THE    FALLS. 


41 


Clifton  .  .  .  New  Hotel. 


hope  soon  to  have  schools,  churches,  hbraries,  ball  and 
prom^j^t^e  rooms,  baths,  public  gardens,  and  indeed, 
every  thing  considered  necessary  to  an  elegant  and 
fashionable  city.  The  lots  and  streets  are  laid  out  with 
much  judgment  and  taste  ;  whether  the  anticipations  of 
the  enterprising  projectors  will  ever  be  realized,  other 
generations  must  tell. 

The  table  land  on  the  liver's  bank  below  the  Falls  and 
opposite  the  Ferry,  owned  by  Captain  Creighton,  has 
also  been  surveyed  into  lots  for  a  village,  to  be  called 
*'  Clifton;"  and  here,  directly  at  the  top  of  the  ferry  road 
Mr.  Crysler  has  recently  built  a  splendid  hotel,  for  the 
accommodation  of  visiters,  which  contains  upwards  of 
sixty  rooms,  and  will  accommodate  from  sixty  to  one 
hundred  guests.  This  is  a  delightful  site  for  a  village, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant  places  of  resort  on  that 
side  of  th'*  river.  The  following  stanza  of  Byron,  m 
beautifully  descriptive  of  this  place  : 


.-y 


"  From  thy  shady  brow, 

Thou  small,  but  favored  spot  of  holy  ground  • 
Where'er  we  gaze,  around,  above,  below, 

What  rainbow  tints,  what  magic  charms  are  found  ! 
Rock,  river,  forest,  mountain  all  abound, 

And  bluest  skies  that  harmonize  the  whole  ; 
Beneati:,  the  distant  torrent's  rushing  sound 

Tells  where  the  volumed  cataract  doth  roll 
Between  those  hanging  rocks,  that  ghock  yet  please  the  soul.'' 

4# 


Zftfii^p   ■■■»~-.>  ■".;«■» 


■^■ 


4d 


BOOR    O^ 


Appearance  of  lh«  surro»indiii»  country. 


k' 


Sif 


t 


■2„ 


In  ascending  the  high  bank,  the  visiter  is  presented 
witli  some  delightful  views  of  the  Falls  and  ra]ii(t%  and 
tif  the  surrounding  country.  Two  spaciou&  hotels,  the 
Pavilion  and  Ontario  House,  situated  on  the  high  bank, 
ure  much  frequented,  and  can  accommodate  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  guests.  The  Pavilion  has  an  imposing 
appearance,  and  from  the  observatory  on  its  roof,  visiters 
have  an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 

Strangers  who  have  never  visited  the  Falls,  have  an 
idea  that  the  surrounding  country  must  be  mountainous, 
like  that  in  the  vicinity  of  most  other  falls  ;  but  the  gen- 
eral aspect  of  the  country  here  for  a  great  extent  on  both 
sides  of  the  river,  above  and  below,  is  that  of  an  almost 
perfect  level,  and  nothing  indicates  the  existence  of  the 
river  or  the  Falls  except  the  constantly  ascending  and 
floating  mist,  and  a  kind  of  subterranean  thundering  roar. 
Below  the  Falls,  the  earth  and  rocks  appear  as  though 
they  had  been  suddenly  rent  asunder  and  separated  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile   apart,   in  order,  by  the  perpendicular 
chasm  thus  made,  to  form  a  channel  for  the  river.     The 
corresponding  portions  of  rock  are  as  regular  in  the  suc- 
cession of  their  strata,  as  would  be  the  leaves  and  cover 
of  a  book  if  thej  were  bisected  and  placed  opposite  each 
other.     The  waole  country  in  Canada,  between  the  two 
lakes,  except  a  narrow  strin  bordering  unon  Lake  Ontario, 
is  generally  level,   rich  and  productive,  and  is  becoming 


if    ■ 

s 


*■ 


THE    i'AtLS. 


«l 


Welland  Canal. 


quite  populous.     In  visiting  the  Canada  side,  you  can 
cross  the  river  at  Blaok  Rock,  Lewiston,  #r  at  tlie  Falls; 
and  can  always  have  carriages  on  that  side  to  transport 
you  whither  you  choose.     Stage  Coaches  run  from  the 
Hotels  to  Qufoenstown  and  Niagara  daily  ;  also  to  Chip- 
pewa and  Buffalo.     From  Chippewa  the  steamboat  l^d 
Jacket  runs  daily  to  Buffalo,  leaving  Chippewa  in   the 
afternoon.     No  one  ought  to  fail  of  visiting  the  Canada 
side,  as  this   grand  and  unparalleled  scene  of  nature's 
wonders,  the   fame  whereof  is  spread  over  the  world. 
ought  to  be  viewed  and  contemplated  from  every  position. 
The  views  from  that  side,  are  by  many  considered  the 
best ;  but  let  every  one  decide  for  himself  from  personal 
observation.  '  t 


V^ 


%' 


'^f 


WfiLLAND    CANAL. 


^^ 


Eight  miles  west  from  the  Falls  is  the  Welland  Canal> 
connecting  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie  with  Lake  Ontario, 
and  affording  a  passage  fo^  sloops  ahd  schooners  of  125 
tons  burthen.  This  Canal  commences  at  Port  Maitland, 
near  the  mouth  of  Grand  River  on  Lake  Erie,  48  miles 
west  of  Buffalo  ;  it  runs  in  a  straight  line  across  Wain-  ^ 


ly.     -;; 


:aih-L;. 


w,t'    -     ■«..  /,  :  f 


i       ■'■     If 


44 


nook  ot 


Brock's  Monument. 


fleet  Marsh,  crosses  the  Chippewa  river  by  means  of  an 
aqueduct,  and  enters  Lake  Ontario  at  the  mouth  of  twelve 
mile  creek.  It  is  43  miles  in  length,  56  feet  in  width, 
.^  and  varies  from  8j  to  16  feet  in  depth.  The  whole  de- 
scent from  one  lake  to  the  other,  334  feet,  is  accamplished 
by^means  of  37  locks.  At  the  deep-cut,  on  what  is  called 
the  mountain  ridge,  the  excavation  is  45  feet  in  depth  ; 
.^j',  and  1,477,700  cubic  feet  of  earth,  and  1,890,000  cubic 

feet  of  rock  were  removed.  The  locks  here  are  22  by  100 
feet,  and  west  of  this  ridge  they  are  45  by  125  feet.  The 
Canal  was  commenced  in  the  year  1824,  and  completed 
in  five  yearSj  and  cost  over  $1,000,000.  A  large  part  of 
the  stock  is  owned  by  individuals  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  The  Company  own  all  the  land  along  the  line 
of  the  Canal,  including  the  hydraulic  privileges  ;  and 
another  tract,  containing  about  J  6,000  acres,  has  been 
granted  to  them  by  the  British  Government. 


B'JiitM, 


'■i'TT<?-.'*i,;:.   ':'.1.  "s-M 


■y. 


*  B  R  OC  K  '  S   M  O  N  U  M  E  N  T  . 


Six  miles  and  a  half  north  from  the  Falls,  upon  Queens'- 
ton  heights,  is  General  Brock's  Monument,  constructed 
of  free  stone,  126  feet  high,  and  admitting  an  ascent  to 


..,.,,4        .-y..:.. 


* 


\":^ 


jof  an 
twelve 
width, 
ale  de- 
plished 
3  called 
lepth  ; 

0  cubic 
by  100 

The 

apleted 

part  of 

af  New 

he  line 

1  ;  and 
IS  been 

i       ■  . 


iueens"- 
itructed 
cent  to 


'M-'^.^^-M  >i 


I  '-':■ 


•«?*;. 


H 


'ifr- 


;'■'■'<. 


■      C"- 


•    ,-»^.r,;; 


_  ',  rf  :„  v.w',. 


'm 


■I  .■ 


1? 


I  * 


J»l^^  «> 


'^^f. 


.' 

1  ^v.    ;--'J«  »■ 

X'      •" 

,-•  ''  '.-"*: 

:^'. 

-•A.- 


dMffimnmMKHMM 


ii^*'" 'T- 


-^ 


•'.V.V, 


■■-J. 


/  * 


:^ 


■>-, 


t'.    '■ 


h" 


''IT  ' 


THE    FALLS 


45 


Burning  Sprin;^. 


he  top  by  a  flight  of  170  winding  steps.  From  this  emi- 
nence, the  country  around  including  the  picturesque  lake 
scenery,  may  be  seen  for  fifty  miles.  The  following  in- 
scription is  found  on  this  Monument  : 
I  ''The  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada  has  dedicated  this 
Monument  to  the  many  civil  ana  military  services  of  the 
late  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  Knight,  Commander  of  the  most 
honorable  Order  of  the  Bath,  Provincial  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor and  Major-General,  Commanding  his  Majesty's 
forces  therein.  He  fell  in  action,  on  the  13th  of  Oct., 
1812,  honored  and  beloved  by  those  whom  he  governed, 
and  deplored  by  Nis  Sovereign,  to  whose  services  his  life 
had  been  devoted.  His  remains  are  deposited  in  this 
vault,  as  also  his  Aid-de  Camp,  Lieutenant-Colonel  John 
McDonald,  who  died  of  his  wounds  the  14th  of  October, 
1812,  received  the  day  before,  in  action." 


; 


BURNING     SPRING. 


One  mile  south  from  the  Fulls,  near  the  rapids,  is  the 
Burning  Spring.  This  is  in  a  state  of  constant  ebullition, 
and  from  it  issues  a  stream  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  gas, 
which  quickly  ignites  on  the  touch  of  a  candle,  and  burns 
with  a  brilliant  flame.  The  spring  is  enclosed  in  a  bar- 
rel,  which  collects  tJie  gas  and  lets  it  out  through  a 


<-9 


-:rMc: 


46 


HOOK    OF 


Spiral  Stiilrcosc. 


tube  inserted  at  the  top.  This  gas  iniglit,  without  tioubt, 
be  commu'.iicatetl  by  pipes  to  neighboring  buildings,  and 
substituted  for  candles  and  lamps.  Tiie  keeper  of  the 
spring,  Mr.  J.  Conklin,  expects  a  small  fee  from  visiters, 
•  for  his  trouble.  Tliere  are  strong  indications  at  this 
Spring  of  a  bed  of  coal  near,  but  no  oUbrt  has  yet  been 
made  to  discover  it. 


STAIR-CASE. 


11^ 


At  the  Falls,  near  Table  Rock,  is  a  Spiral  Staircase, 

conilructed  for  the  purpose  of  letting  people  descend  and 

^pass  behind  the  slieet  of  water.     The  views  behind  this 

sheet,  150  feet  from  the  outer  edge,  are  awfully  sublime 

and  terrific,  and  visiters  generally  feel  themselves  well 

repaid  for  going  there.     The  impressions  there  produced 

will  probably  never  be  effaced. 

» 
Mr.  S turkey   who  keeps  a  house  of  refresJiments  and  a 

cabinet  of  minerals  here,  is  very  acconmiodating  to 
visiters,  and  when  desired  furnishes  them  with  a  dress 
and  guide  to  facilitate  their  passage  behind  the  Falls^ 
TJiis  place  has  been  extensively  known  and  is  much  fre- 
quented bv  visiters. 


,i^- 


-'■  -^ii^f 


'  «iM4.r  .^^..UlL^fu 


)^g^.f- 


THE    FALLS. 


47 


Muscuiii  .  .  .  Suiniiiur  und  Winter  Scenery. 


MUSEUM. 


A  few  rods  from  this  staircase  is  Mr.  Barnett's  Mu- 
seum of  natural  and  artificial  curiosities  ; — an  establish- 
ment well  worthy  of  patronage.  The  rooms  arc  ar- 
ranged very  tastefully  so  as  to  represent  a  forest  scene, 
and  contain  upwars  of  5000  specimens  of  various 
kinds  and  descriptions.  There  are  bipeds  and  quadru- 
peds ;  birds,  fishes,  insects,  reptiles,  shells,  minerals  and 
Indian  curiosities  ;  all  calculated  to  delight  the  eye,  im- 
prove the  understanding,  and  mend  the  heart.  Of  the 
birds,  beasts,  fishes,  and  insects,  several  hundred  species 
were  caught  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Falls.  The  noblest 
«ajjles  of  the  land  delight  tc  hover  around  the  Falls  ;  and 
here  they  are  frequently  killed,  stuflTed,  and  offered  for 
sale.  A  large  collection  of  live  rattle-snakes  may  also 
be  seen  here. 


'"'1$ 


*? 


SUMMER  AND  WINTER  SCENERY. 

The  surrounding  scenery  on  both  sides  of  the  river  is  in 
good  keeping  with  the  magnificence  of  the  Falls.  It  is 
just  what  it  should  be,—  grand,  striking,  and  unique. 


'  ^f'U 


48 


BOOK    OF 


Sceiifiy  in  Winter. 


h 


By  most  visiters  it  is  seen  only  in  summer.  But  in  the 
winter  it  is  also  inimitable  and  indescribably  beautiful. 
The  trees  and  shrubbery  on  Goat  and  other  islands  and 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  near  the  Falls,  are  covered 
with  transparent  sleet,  presenting  an  appeal  ance  of 
*'icy  brilliants,"  or  rather  of  millions  of  glittering  chan- 
deliers of  all  sizes  and  descriptions,  and  giving  one  a 
most  vivid  idea  of  fairy  land . 

*'  For  every  sln-ub  and  every  bliule  of  grass 
And  every  pointed  tliorn  seems  wrought  in  glass, 
The  frighted  birds  the  rattling  brandies  shun, 
Wliich  wave  and  glitter  in  the  distant  sun." 

The  scene  presents  a  splendid  counterpart  to  Gold- 
smith's description  of  the  subterranean  grottos  of  Pares 
and  Antiparos.  The  mist  from  the  Falls  freezes  upon 
the  trees  so  gradually  and  to  such  thickness,  that  it  often 
bears  a  most  exact  resemblance  to  Alabaster  ;  and  this 
set  off  by  the  dazzling  colors  of  the  rainbows  that  arch 
the  river  from  twenty  different  points,  seems  by  natural 
association,  to  raise  the  imagination  to  that  world, 
where  the  streets  are  of  pure  gold,  the  gates  of  pearl, 
and  night  is  unknown. 

"  Look,  the  massy  trunks 
Are  cased  in  the  pure  crystal  ;  branch  and  twig 
Shine  in  the  lucid  covering  ;  eacli  light  rod. 
Nodding  and  twinkling  in  the  stirring  breeze, 
Is  studded  with  its  trembling  water-drops, 
Still  streaming,  as  thoy  move,  with  colored  iight. 


■rkniiKi'^. 


.  v-  .,s!d^^.^:-. .  S' 


THE   FALLS. 


49 


Winter  Scenery  .  '.  .  Wild  Ducks. 

/ 


But  round  the  parent  stem,  thfci  long,  low  boughs 

Bend  in  a  glittering  ring,  or  ijirbors  hide 

The  glassy  floor.    O  !  you  might  deem  the  spot 

The  spacious  cavern  of  some  virgin  mine, 

Deep  in  the  womb  of  earth,  where  the  gems  grow  ; 

And  diamonds  put  forth  radiant  rods,  and  bud 

With  amethyst  and  topaz,  and  the  place 

Lit  up  most  royally  with  the  pure  beam 

That  dwells  in  them  ;  or,  haply  the  vast  hall 

Of  fairy  palace,  that  outlasts  the  night. 

And  fades  not  in  the  glory  of  the  sun*, 

Where  crystal  columns  send  forth  slender  shaftifti 

And  crossing  arches,  and  fantastic  aisles 

Wind  from  the  sight  in  brightness,  and  are  lost 

Among  the  crowded  pillars." 


The  winter  scenery  about  the  Falls  is  peculiar,  a  sight 

of  which  is  worth  a  journey  of  one  thousand  miles^ 

Myriads  of  wild  ducks  and  geese  spend  the  day  in  and 

above  the  rapids,  and  regularly  take  their  departure  for 

Lake  Ontario  every  night  before  dark  ;  though  some  are 

often  found  in  the  morning  with  a  broken  leg  or  wing, 

and  sometimes  dead,  in  the  river  below  the  Falls.     This 

generally  happens  after  a  very  dark  or  foggy  night ;  and 

it  is  supposed  that,  as  they  always  have  their  heads 

up  stream,  while  in  the  water,  they  are  carried  down 

insensibly  by  the  rapids,  till  they  find  themselves  going 

over  the  precipice,  and  then  in  attempting  to  fly,  they 

dive  into  the  sheet  of  water,  and  are  buried  for  a  time 

under  the  Falls  or  upon  the  rocks. 

5 


50 


BOOK    Of 


Eagles  .  . .  Ice  Bridge. 


Dead  fish,   too,  of  almost  all  sizes  and  descriptions, 
weighing  from  one  to  seventy  pounds,  are  found  floating 
in  the  eddies  below  the  Falls,  forming  a  dainty  repast  for 
gulls,  loons,  hawks,  and  eagles.     The  splendid  gyrations 
of  the  gulls,  and  their  fearless  approaches,  enveloped  in 
clouds  of  mist,  up  to  the  boiling  caldron  directly  under 
the  Falls,  attract  much  attention.     But  the  eagle,  fierce, 
daring,  contemplative,  and  tyrannical,  takes  his  stand 
upon  the  point  of  some  projecting  rock,  or  the  dry  limb 
of  a  gigantic  tree,  and  watches  with  excited  interest  the 
movements  of  the  whole  feathered  tribes  below      Stand- 
ing there  in  lordly  pride  and  dignity,  in  an  instant  hie 
eye  kindles  and  his  ardor  rises  as  he  sees  the  fish  hawk 
emerge  from  the  deep,  screaming  with  exultation  at  his 
success.     He  darts  forth  like  lightning,  and  gives  furious 
chase.     The  hawk,  perceiving  his  danger,  uttors  a  scream 
of  despair  and  drops  his  fish;  and  the  efigle  instantly 
seizes  the  fish  in  the  air,  and  bears  his  ill-gotten  booty  to 
hi»  lofty  eyrie. 

Sometimes  during  a  part  of  the  winter,  the  ice  is* 
driven  by  the  wind  from  Lake  Erie,  and  poured  over  the 
Falls  in  »uch  immense  quantities  as  to  fill  and  block 
up  the  river  between  the  banks,  for  a  mile  or  more,  to 
the  depth  of  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet,  so  that  people 
cross  the  ice  to  Canada,  on  foot,  for  weeks  together  : 


THE    FALLS. 


u 


]{ivcr  below  the  Fulls  .  .  .  Color  of  the  Water  . .  .  Channel. 


the  river  itself  is  never  frozen  over,  either  above  or  below 
the  Falls,  but  it  affords  an  outlet  for  vast  quantities  of 
ice  from  the  upper  Lakes. 


11  1  V  E  H     BELOW     THE     FALLS. 

The  river  at  the  Falls  is  a  little  over  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  in  width,  but  btlow  it  is  immediately  compressed 
into  a  narrow  channel  of  less  than  one-fourth  of  a  mile  in 
width  ;  its  depth,  as  ascertained  by  sounding,  is  about 
250  feet.  Its  color  is  deep  green,  and  sometimes  blue  ; 
occasioned,  no  doubt,  by  reflection  from  the  sky.  This 
channel  being  between  perpendicular  banks,  from  170  to 
370  feet  high,  is  comparatively  smooth  for  two  miles, 
and  then  runs  with  amazing  velocity  to  Lewiston  ;  and, 
what  is  somewhat  remarkable,  while  the  river  makes  a 
constant  descent,  the  banks  have  a  gradual  ascent  for  six 
miles  ;  so  that  from  the  top  of  the  bank  to  the  water,  at 
Brock's  Monument,  near  Queenston,  is  370  feet ;  and  the 
heights  there  are  38  feet  higher  than  Lake  Erie,  and  25 
feet  higher  tlian  the  land  at  Schlosser.  Wh'^ther  the  bed 
of  the  river  here  was  once  a  natural  ravine,  or  was  formed 
by  an  earthquake,  or  worn  away  by  the  continued  and 
violent  action  of  the  water  falling  upon  the  rocks — thus 


^n 


52 


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Earliest  Discoveries. 


carrying  the  Falls  back  from  Queenston  to  their  present 
situation,  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine  with  cer- 
tainty. 

From  descriptions  of  the  Falls  written  nearly  two  hun- 
dred years  ago,  we  learn  that,  though  their  shape  h:.s  been 
somewhat  altered  since,  they  then  occupied  the  place 
which  they  hold  now,  and  exhibited  the  same  wonderful 
phenomena.  When  and  by  whom  among  the  whites 
they  were  first  discovered,  the  writer  has  never  yet  been 
able  to  ascertain.  Tradition  ascribes  their  discovery  to 
two  missionaries,  who  were  on  an  exploring  tour  to  this 
part  of  the  country,  in  an  age  anterior  to  any  written 
account  extant. 


REMARKS    OF    HENNEPIN,    TONTI,    HONTAN,  ETC. 


Father  Hennepin,  who  visited  this  place  in  December, 
1678,  thus  describes  the  Falls: — "Betwixt  the  Lakes 
Ontario  and  Erie,  there  is  a  vast  and  prodigious  cadence 
of  water,  which  falls  dov/n  after  a  surprising  and  asto- 
nishing manner,  insomuch,  that  the  universe  does  not 
afford  its  parallel.  'Tistrue,  Italy  and  Suedeland  boast 
of  some  such  things,  but  we  may  well  say  that  they  are 
but  sorry  patterns,  when  compared  with  this  of  which 


tHE   FALLS. 


53 


Earliest  Discoveries. 


we  now  speak.  At  the  foot  of  this  horrible  precipice,  we 
meet  with  the  river  Niagara,  which  is  not  above  a  quarter 
of  a  league  broad,  but  is  wonderfully  deep  in  some 
places.  It  is  so  rapid  above  this  descent,  that  it  vio- 
lently hurries  down  the  wild  beasts  while  endeavoring  to 
pass  it  to  feed  on  the  other  side,  they  not  being  able  to 
withstand  the  force  of  its  current,  which  inevitably  casts 
them  headlong  above  six  hundred  feet  high. 

''This  wonderful  downfall  is  compounded  of  two 
great  cross-streams  of  water,  and  two  falls,  with  an  isle 
sloping  along  the  middle  of  it.  The  waters  which  fall 
from  this  horrible  precipice,  do  loam  and  boil  after  the 
most  hideous  manner  imaginable,  making  an  outrageous 
noise,  more  terrible  than  that  of  thunder ;  for  when  the 
wind  blows  out  of  the  south,  their  dismal  roaring  may 
be  heard  more  than  fifteen  leagues  off. 

**  The  river  Niagara  having  thrown  itself  down  this 
incredible  precipice,  continues  its  impetuous  course  for 
two  leagues  together,  to  the  Great  Rock  above  men- 
tioned, with  an  inexpressible  rapidity  ;  but  having  passed 
that,  its  impetuosity  relents,  gliding  along  more  gently 
for  other  two  leagues,  till  it  arrives  a  I  the  Lake  Ontario 
or  Frontenac. 

*  *  Any  barque  or  greater  vessel  may  pass  from  the  Fort 

to  the  foot  of  this  huge  rock,  above  mentioned.     This 

rock  lies  to  the  westward,  and  is  cut  off  from  the  land 

5* 


i« 


54 


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Earliest  Discoveries. 


'- 


by  the  river  Niagara,  about  two  leagues  further  down 
than  the  Great  Fall ;  for  which  two  leagues  the  people 
are  obliged  to  transport  their  goods  over  land;  but  the 
way  is  very  guod,  and  the  trees  are  but  few,  chiefly 
firs  and  oaks. 

**  From  the  Great  Fall  unto  this  Rock,  which  is  to  the 
west  of  the  river,  the  two  brinks  of  it  are  so  prodigious 
high,  that  it  would  make  one  tremble  to  look  steadily 
upon  the  water,  rolling  along  with  a  rapidity  not  to  be 
imagined.  Were  it  not  for  this  vast  cataract,  which 
interrupts  navigation,  tliey  might  sail  with  barques  or 
greater  vcs  els  more  than  four  hundred  and  fifty  leagues, 
crossing  the  Lake  of  Huron,  and  reaching  even  to  the 
further  end  of  the  Lake  Illinois  ;  which  two  Lakes  we 
may  easily  say  are  little  seas  of  fresh  water. 

**  After  we  had  rowed  above  an  hundred  and  forty 
leagues  upon  the  Lake  Erie,  by  reason  of  the  many  wind- 
ings of  the  bays  and  creeks  which  we  were  forced  to 
coast,  we  passed  by  the  Great  Fall  of  Niagara,  and  spenJ. 
half  a  day  in  considering  the  wonders  of  that  prodigious 
cascade. 

**  I  could  not  conceive  how  it  came  to  pass,  that  four 
great  Lakes,  the  least  of  which  is  four  hundred  leagues  in 
compass,  should  empty  themselves  one  into  another,  and 
then  ail  centre  and  discharge  themselves  at  this  Great 
Fall,  and  yet  not  drown  good  part  of  America.     What  is 


ttti:  I'Attbi. 


r»5 


Eurlirst  Discoveries. 


yet  more  surprising,  the  groi  d  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Lake  Erie,  down  to  the  Great  Fall,  appears  almost  level 
and  flat.  It  is  scarce  discernable  that  there  is  the  least 
rise  or  fall  for  six  leagues  together.  The  more  than 
ordinary  swiftness  of  the  stream,  is  the  only  thing  which 
makes  it  to  be  observed.  And  that  which  makes  it  yet 
the  stranger  is,  that  for  two  leagues  together,  below  the 
Fall,  towards  Lake  Ontario  or  Frontenac,  the  lands 
are  as  level  as  they  are  above  it  towards  the  Lake  Erie. 

**  Our  surprise  was  still  greater  when  we  observed  there 
was  no  mountain  within  two  good  leajijues  of  this  cas- 
cade ;  and  yet  the  vast  quantity  of  water  which  is  dis- 
charged by  these  four  fresh  seas,  stojs  or  centres  here, 
and  so  falls  above  six  hundred  feet  deep  down  into  a 
gulf,  which  one  cannot  look  upon  v.  ithout  horror.  Two 
other  great  outlets  or  falls  of  water,  which  are  on  the 
two  sides  of  a  small  sloping  island,  which  is  in  the 
midst,  fall  gently  and  without  noise,  and  so  glide  away 
quietly  enough  ;  but  when  this  prodigious  quantity  of 
water  of  which  I  speak,  comes  to  fall,  there  is  such  a  din 
and  such  a  noise,  more  deafening  than  i.he  loudest 
thunder. 

<'The  rebounding  of  these  waters  is  so  great,  that  a 
sort  of  cloud  arises  from  the  foam  of  it,  which  is  seen 
hanging  over  this  abyss,  even  at  noon-day,  when  the  sun 
is  at  its  height.     In  the  midst  of  summer,  when  the 


56 


noOK    Oi' 


Earliest  Discoveries. 


weather  is  hottest,  they  rise  above  the  tallest  firs,  and 
other  great  trees,  which  grow  on  the  sloping  island, 
which  makes  the  two  falls  of  water  thr.t  I  spoke  of. 

**  I  wished  an  hundred  times,  th^it  somebody  had  been 
with  us,  who  could  have  described  the  wonders  of  this 
prodigious,  frightful  Fall,  so  as  to  give  the  reader  a  just 
and  natural  idea  of  it ;  such  as  might  satisfy  him,  and 
cause  in  him  an  admiration  of  this  prodigy  of  Nature, 
as  great  as  it  deserves,  in  the  meantime  accept  the  fol- 
lowing draught,  such  as  it  is  ;  in  which,  however,  1  have 
endeavored  to  give  the  curious  reader  as  just  an  image 
of  it  as  I  can. 

**  We  must  call  to  mind  what  1  observed  of  it  in  the 
beginning  of  my  Voyage.  Frcrr-  the  mouth  of  the  Lake 
hrle  to  the  Great  Fall,  are  reckoned  six  leagues,  as  I 
have  said,  which  is  the  continuation  of  the  great  river  of 
St.  Lawrence,  which  arises  out  of  the  four  Lakes  above 
mentioned.  The  river,  you  must  needs  think,  is  very 
rapid  for  these  six  leagues,  because  of  the  vast  discharge 
of  waters  which  fall  into  it  out  of  the. said  Lakes.  The 
lands  which  lie  on  both  sides  of  it  to  the  east  and  Wbst, 
are  all  level  from  the  Lake  Erie  to  the  Great  Fall.  Its 
banks  are  not  steep,  on  the  contrary,  the  water  is  amost 
always  level  with  the  land.  It  is  certain,  that  the 
ofround  towards  the  Fall  is  lower,  by  tne  more  than  ordi- 


THE    FALLS. 


57 


Earliest  Discoveries. 


nu^y  switfness  of  the  stream  ;  and  yet  it  is  not  perceiv- 
able to  the  eye  for  six  leagues  above. 

<<  After  it  has  run  thus  violently  for  six  leagues,  it 
meets  with  a  small  bloping  island,  about  half  a  quarter  of 
a  league  long,  and  near  three  hundred  feet  broad,  as  well 
as  one  can  guess  by  the  eye  ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  come 
at  it  in  a  canoe  of  bark,  the  waters  ivn  with  that  force. 
The  isle  is  full  of  cedar  and  fir  ;  but  the  land  of  it  lies  no 
higher  than  that  on  the  banks  of  the  river.  It  seems  to 
be  all  level,  even  as  far  as  the  two  great  cascades  that 
make  the  main  Fall. 

*  *  The  two  sides  of  Uie  channels,  which  are  made  by 
the  isle,  and  run  on  both  sides  of  it,  overflow  almost  the 
very  surface  of  the  earth  of  the  said  isle,  as  well  as  the 
land  that  lies  on  the  banks  of  the  river  to  the  east  and 
west,  as  it  runs  south  and  north.  But  we  must  observe, 
that  at  the  end  of  tlie  isle,  on  the  side  of  the  two  Great 
Falls,  there  is  a  sloping  rock  which  reaches  as  far  ac  the 
great  gulf,  into  which  the  said  waters  falls,  and  yet  the 
rock  is  not  at  ail  wetted  by  the  two  cascades,  which  fall 
on  both  sides,  because  the  two  torrents  which  are  made 
by  the  isle,  throw  themselves  with  a  prodigious  force, 
one  towards  the  east  and  the  other  towards  the  west, 
ffom  off  the  end  of  the  isle,  where  the  Great  Fall  of  all  is. 


58 


IJOOK    OK 


Kurlii'yt  Discovirics, 


**  After  these  two  torrents  have  thus  run  by  the  two 
sides  of  the  isle,  they  cast  their  waters  all  of  a  sudden, 
down  into  the  gulf  by  two  groat  Falls  ;  which  waters  are 
pushed  so  violently  on  by  their  own  weight,  and  so  sus- 
tained by  the  swiftness  of  the  motion,  that  they  do  not 
wet  the  rock  in  the  least.  And  here  it  is  that  they  tumble 
down  into  an  abyss  above  six  hundred  feet  in  depth. 

"  The  waters  that  flow  on  the  side  of  the  east,  do  not 
throw  themselves  with  that  violence  as  those  that  fall  on 
the  west ;  the  reason  is,  because  the  rock  at  the  end  of 
the  island,  rises  something  more  on  this  side  than  it  does 
on  the  west ;  and  so  tlie  waters  being  supported  by  it 
somewhat  longer  than  tliey  are  on  the  other  side,  are 
carried  the  smoother  oft';  but  on  the  west,  the  rock 
sloping  more,  the  waters  for  want  of  a  support,  become 
the  sooner  broken,  and  fall  with  the  greater  precipitation. 
Another  reason  is,  the  lands  that  lie  on  the  west  are 
lower  than  those  that  lie  on  the  east.  We  also  observed 
that  the  waters  of  the  Fall,  tliat  is  to  the  west,  made  a 
sort  of  a  square  figure  as  they  fell,  which  made  a  lljird 
cascade,  less  than  the  other  two,  which  i'eli  betwixt  the 
south  and  north. 

*'  And  because  there  is  a  rising  j^round  which  lies  be- 
fore those  two  cascades  to  the  north,  the  gulf  is  much 
larger  there  than  to  the  cast.  Moreover,  we  must 
observe,    that  from   tlio    rising  ground    that  lies  over 


"V 


THE    tALLS 


r.u 


<  I' 


lifirliosl  l)iscov(  ricH. 


against  the  two  last  Falla,  which  are  on  the  west  of  llio 
main  Fall,  one  may  go  down  as  far  as  the  bottom  of  this 
terrible  gulf.  The  author  of  this  disccvcry  was  down 
there,  the  more  narrowly  to  observe  the  fall  of  these  pro- 
digious cascades.  From  thence  we  could  discover  a  spot 
of  ground,  which  lay  under  the  fall  of  water  which  is  to 
the  east,  big  enough  for  four  coaches  to  drive  abreast, 
without  being  wet  ;  but  because  the  ground  which  is  to 
the  east  of  the  sloping  rock,  where  the  first  fall  empties 
itself  into  the  gulf,  is  very  steep  and  perpendicular,  it  is 
impossible  for  a  man  to  get  down  on  that  side,  into  the 
place  where  the  four  coaches  may  go  abreast,  or  to  make 
his  way  thiough  such  a  quantity  of  water  as  falls  towards 
the  gulf ;  so  that  it  is  very  probable,  that  to  this  dry 
place  it  is  that  the  rattle-snakes  retire,  by  certain  pas- 
sages which  they  find  under  ground, 

"  From  the  end  of  this  island  it  is  that  these  two  great 
Falls  of  waters,  as  also  the  third  but  now  mentioned, 
throw  themselves,  after  a  most  surprising  manner,  down 
mto  a  dreadful  gulf  six  hundred  feet  and  more  in  depth. 
I  have  already  said,  that  the  waters  'which  discharge 
themselves  at  the  cascade  to  the  east,  fall  with  lesser 
force  ;  whereas  those  to  the  west  tumble  all  at  once, 
making  two  cascades,,  one  moderate,  the  other  very  vio- 
lent and  strong,  which  at  last  make  a  kind  of  crotchet,  or 
square  figure,  failing  from  south  to  north,  and  west  to 


i 


i 


«0 


ROOK    Ot 


Karlit*st  DiicovcricS' 


east.  After  this  they  rejoin  the  waters  of  the  other  cas- 
cade that  falls  to  the  east,  and  so  tumble  down  altO' 
gether,  though  unequally,  into  the  gulf,  with  all  the 
violence  that  can  be  imagined  from  a  Fall  of  six  hundred 
feet,  which  makes  the  most  frightful  cascadf3  in  the 
world. 

**  After  these  waters  h^xve  thus  discharged  themselves 
into  the  dreadful  gulf,  they  begin  to  resume  their  course, 
and  continue  the  great  river  of  St.  Lawrence  for  two 
leagues,  as  far  as  the  three  mountains  which  arc  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  and  the  great  rock  which  is  on  the 
west,  and  lift  itself  three  fathoms  above  the  water  or 
thereabouts.  The  gulf  into  which  these  waters  are  dis- 
charged, continues  itself  thus  two  leagues  together,  be- 
tween a  chain  of  rocks,  flowing  with  a  prodigious  torrent, 
which  is  bridled  and  kept  in  by  the  rocks  that  lie  on  each 
side  of  the  river. 

"  Into  this  gulf  it  is,  that  these  several  cascades  empty 
themselves,  with  a  violence  equal  to  the  height  from 
whence  they  fall,  and  the  quantity  of  waters  which  they 
discharge ;  hence  arise  those  deafening  sounds,  that 
dreadful  roaring  and  bellowing  of  the  waters,  which 
drown  the  loudest  thunder,  as  also  the  perpetual  mists 
hang  over  the  gulf,  and  rise  above  the  tallest  pines  that 
are  in  the  little  isle  so  often  mentioned.  After  a  channel 
is  again  made  at  the  bottom  of  this  dreadful  Fall,  by  the 


THK    FAr.r.?:. 


i'A 


EarlirKt  Di!»coverIcii. 


chain  of  rocks,  and  filled  by  that  pfodigious  quantity  of 
wateis  which  are  continually  fallinjr,  the  river  of  St. 
Lawrence  resumes  its  course.  But  with  that  violence, 
and  its  waters  beat  against  tlie  rocks  with  so  prodigious 
a  force,  that  'tis  impopsible  to  pass  even  in  a  canoe  of 
bark,  though  in  one  of  them,  a  man  may  venture  safe 
enough  upon  the  most  rapid  streams,  by  keeping  close  to 
the  shore. 

'*  These  rocks,  as  also  the  prodiginrs  torrent,  last  for 
two  leagues  ;  that  "s  from  the  ^reat  Falls,  to  the  three 
mountains  and  great  rock  ;  bu  then  it  begins  insensibly 
to  abate,  and  the  land  to  be  again  almost  on  a  level  with 
the  water,  and  so  it  continues  as  far  as  the  Lake  Ontario 
or  Frontenac. 

*'  When  one  stands  near  the  Fall,  and  looks  down 
into  the  dreadful  gulf,  one  is  seized  with  horror,  and  the 
head  turns  round,  so  that  one  cannot  look  long  or  stead- 
fastly upon  it.  Bui  iiis  vast  deluge  beginning  insen- 
sibly to  abate,  and  even  to  fall  to  nothing  about  the  three 
mountains,  the  waters  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence  begin  to 
glide  more  gently  along,  and  to  be  almost  upon  a  level 
with  the  lands ;  so  that  it  becomes  navigable  again  as 
far  as  the  Lake  Frontenac,  over  which  we  pass  to  come 
to  the  new  canal,  which  is  made  by  the  discharge  of  its 
waters.     Then  we  enter  again  upon  the  river   St.  Law- 


i 


6 


m 


BOOK    OF 


Earliest  Discoveries. 


rence,  which  not  long  after  makes  that  which  they  call 
the  Long  Fall,  an  hundred  leagues  from  Niagara. 

**  Jhave  often  heard  talk  of  the  cataracts  of  the  Nile, 
which  make  the  people  deaf  that  live  near  them.  I 
know  not  if  the  Iroquois,  who  formerly  inhabited  near 
this  Fall,  and  lived  uponbeasta  which  from  time  to  time 
are  borne  down  by  the  violence  of  its  torrent,  withdrew 
themselves  from  its  neighborhood,  lest  they  should  like- 
wise become  deaf,  or  out  of  the  continual  fear  they  were 
in  of  rattle- snakes,  which  are  very  common  in  this  place 
during  the  great  heats,  and  lodge  in  holes  along  the 
rocks  as  far  as  the  mountains,  which  lio  two  leagues 
lower." 

The  writer,  after  considerable  inquiry  and  personal 
examination,  is  unable  io  determine  what  Father  Hen- 
nepin means  by  the  Three  Mountains  and  the  Great 
Rock ;  and  he  cannot  believe  that  the  Falls  were  ever  six 
hundred  feet  high,  as  is  repeatedly  stated  in  the  book. 
But  Father  Hennepin's  description  is,  in  the  main,  re- 
markably correct ;  and  establishes  the  fact,  that  in  1678, 
there  were  three  distinct  falls  as  they  are  now,  and  that 
the  Fall  on  the  Canada  side  exhibited  then  somewhat  of 
the  appearance  of  a  horse-shoe.  His  description  too  of 
the  islands,  shores,  &c.  corresponds  with  their  present 
appearance. 


THE    FALLS. 


63 


Earliest  Discoveries. 


In  a  work  written  by  the  Chevalier  de  Tonti,*  who 
was  of  the  party  with  Father  Hennepin,  there  is  a 
description  of  the  Falls  and  of  Niagara  River,  corres- 
ponding with,  and  corroborating  Hennepin's,  but  with 
the  addition  of  no  important  facts. 

Baron  La  Hontan,  f  who  visited  this  Cataract  in  May, 
1688,  thus  describes  it :  *'  As  for  the  waterfall  of  Niagara, 
'tis  seven  or  eight  hundred  feet  high,  and  a  half  a  league 
broad.  Towards  the  middle  of  it  we  descry  an  island 
that  leans  towards  the  precipice,  as  if  it  w<^re  ready  to 
fall.  All  the  beasts  that  cross  the  water  within  half  a 
quarter  of  a  league  above  the  unfortunate  island,  are 
sucked  in  by  the  force  of  the  stream.  And  the  beasts 
and  fish  that  are  tlius  killed  by  the  prodigious  Fall,  serve 
for  food  to  fifty  Iroquese,  who  are  settled  above  two 
leagues  off,  and  take  'em  out  of  the  water  with  their 
canows.  Betw-en  the  surface  of  the  water  that  shelves 
off  prodigiously,  and  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  three  men 


*  Eiuitled,  **  Relations  de  la  Louisiane  et  du  Fleuve  Mississippi, 
ete.  17'20,  Amsterdam,  par  le  Gouveriieur  de  Tonti,  Gouverneur  du 
Fort  Saint  Louis,  aux  Illinois-" 

tHi^book  is  entitled,  "  Now  Voyages  to  North  America, etc. 
Written  in  French,  by  the  Baron  La  Hontan,  Lord  Licutanant  of 
the  French  Colony  at  Placentia,  in  New-Foundland.  at  that  time 
in  England.    Done  into  English,  the  st^cond  edition. — London, 
1735.'' 


ti 


64 


BOOK    OF 


Places  of  descent  between  the  Fulls  and  Lewiston 


may  cross  in  abreast,  without  any  other  damage  than  a 
sprinkling  of  some  few  drops  of  water." 

In  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  for  1722,  there  is  a 
description  of  the  Falls  given  by  Monsieur  Borasseau, 
who  had  visited  them  at  seven  different  times.  He  says 
that  the  Governor  of  Canada  had,  on  the  previous  year, 
<*  ordered  his  own  son  with  three  other  officers  to  survey 
Niagara,  and  take  the  exact  height  of  the  Cataract,  which 
they  accordingly  did  with  a  stone  of  half  a  hundred 
weight,  and  a  large  cod-line,  and  found  it  upon  a  per- 
pendicular twenty-six  fathoms,"  or  one  hundred  and 
fifty-six  feet. 

These  extracts  may  not  be  considered  of  much  value, 
except  by  those,  who  have  a  curiosity  to  learn  something 
about  the  Falls,  as  they  appeared  in  a  former  age. 

There  are  at  least  five  places  between  the  Falls  and 
Lewiston,  where  persons  can  descend  from  the  top  of 
the  bank  to  the  water,  viz  :  from  the  end  of  Mr.  Childs' 
and  also  Mr.  Graves*  farm,  at  the  Whirlpool,  at  the 
Devil's  Hole,  and  from  the  end  of  Mr.  Colt's  farm. 
There  are  also,  on  the  Canada  side,  a  number  of  places 
where  visiters  can  descend  safely  to  the  water's  edge. 
From  these  places  under  the  bank,  the  river  scenery 
appears  transeendantly  beautiful  and  sublime,  and  the 
rapids   strike   the  beholder  with   more   amazement,  if 


THE  FALLS. 


65 


View  From  Brock's  Monument. 


possible,  than  the  Falls  themselves.     Here  may  be  found 
in  reality, 

"  A  happy  rural  seat  of  various  view  •, 

Flowprs  of  all  hue, 

umbrageons  grots  and  caves 
Of  cool  recess,  o'er  which  the  mantling  vine 
l^ays  forth  her  jjurple  grape,  and  gently  creeps 
Luxuriant." 

The  top  of  the  bank  on  either  side,  near  Brock's  Monu- 
ment, affords  a  delightful  and  almost  boundless  prospect 
of  the  country  and  lake  below.  The  unrivalled  Niagara 
is  traced  to  its  outlet,  guarded  by  two  opposite  Forts, 
and  bearing  sloops  and  steamboats  into  the  glassy  Lake  ; 
while  the  mighty  expanse  of  plains  and  waters  presents 
a  scene  so  picturesque  and  enchanting,  that  the  traveller 
leaves  his  position  with  great  reluctance.  From  Lewiston 
to  Lake  Ontario,  seven  miles,  the  river  is  deep,  smooth, 
and  navigable  for  vessels  of  every  description  ;  and  Lewis- 
ton,  being  the  head  of  navigation,  is  the  principal  landing 
place  for  the  American  steamboats  that  run  on  Lake 
Ontario. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  river,  on  the  American  side,  stand 
the  villages  of  Youngs  town  and  Fort  Niagara;  and  on  the 
Canada  side,  the  villages  of  Niagara  and  Fort  George. 

The  quantity  of  water  constantly  pouring  over  the 

Falls,  and  passing  into  the  Lake,   is  computed  from 

probable  data,  at  670,250  tons  per  minute:  but  Dr.  Dwight 

6* 


Li 


'mi 


BOOK  or 


m.' 


Qtt«rti(y  of  Water  passing  ovef  the  Falls  .  . .  Curiosities. 

"tr     II    II  -  .        -I-  I         -  -I...  ■  -   ■  n 

computes  it,  from  the  depth,  width,  and  velocity  of  the 
current,  at  more  than  eighty-five  miJIions  of  tons-  per 
hour ;  and  by  another  calculation,  supposing  a  swifter 
current,  at  102,093,750  tons  per  hour.  Darby  computes 
it  at  1,672,704,000  cubic  feet  per  hour.  Those  results 
are  somewhat  different,  but  the  first  is  probably  nearest 
the  truth.  Dr.  Dwight  supposes  in  one  calculation  a 
current  of  five,  and  in  the  other,  of  six  miles  per  hour, 
the  least  of  which  is  undoubtedly  too  nmch. 


OBJKCTS     OP     SPECIAL     INTK  if  K  S  T  ,  - 
CURIOSITIES,    ETC. 

A  number  of  these,  as  the  islands,  the  bridges,  the 
staircases,  the  burning  springs.  Brock's  Monument,  the 
Welland  Canal,  &c.,  have  already  been  described.  One 
mile  above  the  Falls,  on  the  American  side,  is  the  site  of 
old  Fort  Schlosser ;  a  place  somewhat  distinguished  in 
the  early  history  of  this  region,  and  commanding  a  most 
beautiful  prospect  of  the  river  and  rapids,  of  Grand  and 
Navy  Islands,  and  of  the  village  of  Chippewa,  on  the 
opposite  shore.  Nothing  remains  of  the  Fort,  except 
the  entrenchments,  and  a  few  rods  of  pavement  within. 


fd 


THE  FALLS. 


67 


Mineral  Spring. 


■^-*- 


A  stockade  was  built  here  in  the  year  1672.  Be^re  the 
coustructioti  of  the  Erie  Canal,  all  the  business  between 
the  Lakes  was  interchanged  by  means  of  a  land  carriage 
from  this  place  to  Lewiston.  Half  a  mile  below  the  Falls 
under  the  bank,  are  Catlin's  Caves,  a  visit  to  which  no 
traveller  will  be  likely  to  regret.  Vast  quantities  of  cal- 
careous tufa  or  petrified  moss  are  found  here  in  ali  stages 
of  its  petrifying  process.  On  the  other  side,  nearly  oppo- 
site, is  Bender's  Cave,  a  place  thought  by  some,  to  be 
worthy  a  special  visit. 


MINERAL    SFRING. 


Two  miles  below  the  Falls,  on  the  American  side,  is  a 
Mineral  Spring,  containing  sulphuric  and  muriatic  acids, 
lime  and  magnesia  ;  and  by  the  use  of  its  waters  many 
important  cures  have  been  effected.  For  scrofulous, 
rheuma^v^,  and  cutaneous  complaints,  this  spring  isupplies 
an  almost  sovereign  emedy.  From  the  stage  road  near 
the  spring,  travellers  have  a  most  dv^'.-^jhtful  vi^w  of  the 
whole  Falls  two  miles  distant  ;  and  if  they  see  the  Falls 
from  this  place  first,  as  they  generally  do  in  coming  up 
from  Lewiston,  the  impression  here  made  will  probably 


m 


m 


■SitV  fr. 


68 


BOOK    OF 


Tlie  Whirlpool. 


never  bo  eJBfaced.  Capt.  Hall  reiiiarlis  jresppcting  this 
place,  **  Ji  felt  at  the  moment  quite  Mure  that  no  subse- 
quent ex^^mination,  whether  nv.ar  or  rente te,  ';rald  wer 
remove,  or  even  insterially  weaken  the  impression  left 
by  this  first  view." 


WHIRLPOOL. 


One  mile  farther  down  leads  to  a  tremendous  whirlpool, 
leeembling  very  much,  in  its  appearance  and  gyrations, 
the  celebrated  Mflelstrom  on  the  coast  of  Norway.  Logs 
and  treos  are  sornetiines  v;hirled  around  for  days  together 
in  its  outer  circles,  while  in  the  centre  they  are  drawn 
down  perpendicularly  with  great  force,  are  soon  shot  out 
again  at  the  distance  of  many  rods,  and  occasionally  thrust 
into  the  channel  to  pass  down  the  river.  The  river  here 
makes  nearly  a  right  angle,  which  occasions  the  whirl- 
pool,— is  narrower  than  at  any  other  place, — not  more 
than  thirty  rods  in  width, — and  the  current  runs  with 
such  amazing  velocity  as  tc  r^se  up  in  the  middle  ten 
feet  above  the  sides.  This  *>een  ascertained  by  actua,! 
11^  '  vsurement. 

♦*  Resistless,  roaring,  i   "iutilul  down  it  comes,— 
There,  gatliering  tri»)  e  Irce,  rapid  and  deep,— 
ll  boils,  find  whcrJs,  an  i  -  tais,  isnd  thunders  throi'gh." 


THK    FALLS. 


G9 


Ithis 
)se- 

nver 
left 


The  Whirlpool. 


There  is  a  path  leading  down  the  bank  to  the  whirl- 
pool on  both  sides,  and,  though  somewhat  difficult  to 
descend  and  ascend,  it  is  accomplished  almost  every  day 
on  the  American  side,  by  gentlemen,  and  oflen  by  ladies. 

A  brisk  and  very  refreshing  breeze  is  felt  there  during 
the  hottest  and  stillest  days  of  summer  ;  and  no  place  is 
better  fitted  to  elevate  and  expand  the  mind.  The 
whirlpool  is  a  phenomenon  of  great  interest  as  seen  even 
from  the  top  of  the  bank,  especially  if  a  small  telescope 
be  used  ;  but  to  have  any  adequate  idea  of  its  power  and 
motion,  visiters  ought  to  descend  to  the  water*8  edge, 
and  walk  some  distance  up  the  river.  The  rapids  here 
are  much  more  powerful  and  terrific  than  they  are  above 
the  Falls,  and  appear  like  a  flood  of  watery  brilliants 
rushing  along. 

Having  written  thus  far,  the  writer  laid  down  his  pen, 
and  started  off  on  a  fresh  visit  to  the  whirlpool ;  and  now, 
having  spent  half  a  day  there  in  mute  astonishment  and 
admiration,  and  walked  more  than  a  mile  by  the  river's 
edge,  he  is  utterly  at  a  loss  what  language  to  use  in 
describing  it.  Of  the  above  tame  and  meagre  description 
he  is  ashamed  ;  and  yet  he  can  think  of  no  language,  no 
iiiiagery,  no  comparison,  that  will  not  fall  immeasurably 
short  of  -onveying  a  just  idea  of  the  scene.  He  can  only 
say,  soberly  and  earnestly,  that  no  gentleman  ought 
hereafter  to  acknowledge  that  he  has  seen  the  Falls  of 


m 


'tr! 


iiH 


te 


7-0 


BOOK    OF 


Perilous  Incident. 


Niagara,  unless  lie  could  also  say,  he  had  seen  the  Whirl- 
pool from  the  water's  edge.  A  staircase  down  the  bank 
would  be  a  great  accommodation  to  visiters,  and  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  one  ere  long  will  be  constructed.  Water 
for  hydraulic  purposes  may  easily  be  brought  into  use 
here  to  an  almost  unlimited  extent. 

About  the  year  1812,  an  accident  occurred  here,  per- 
haps worth  recording.  A  party  of  men  were  employed 
in  cutting  cedar  logs  near  the  river  about  the  whirlpool, 
with  a  view  to  get  them  floated  to  Lewiston.  One  nan 
stepping  upon  some  of  them  that  were  rafted,  was  imper- 
ceptibly, or  perhaps  through  carelessness,  drawn  out  into 
the  current,  and  swiflly  carried  into  the  whirlpool.  He 
clung  to  a  log  and  was  carried  round  and  round  in  the 
capacious  basin  for  hours,  expecting  every  moment  to  be 
crushed  among  the  logs  or  thrust  into  the  vortex,  while 
his  companions  on  shore  could  afford  him  no  relief.  At 
length  some  of  them  ascended  the  bank,  went  to  Queens- 
ton,  four  miles,  and  pocured  a  boat  to  be  drawn  up  by  a 
team.  This  was  let  down  the  bank,  and  many  people 
assembled  with  ropes,  poles,  &c.,  to  render  assistance. 
After  the  boat  had  been  well  secured,  and  some  men  had 
stepped  in  intending  to  push  out  into  the  whirlpool,  the 
man  upon  the  log.  still  whirling  in  imminent  ppril  of  his 
life,  was,  by  some  action  of  the  water,  sent  out  directly 


thk  falls. 


71 


Devil'H  Holt'. 


to  tJie  shore,  and  finally  saved,  without  receiving  any  aid 
from  others. 

This  place  has  been  consecrated  by  some  fabulous  tales 
of  wonder  and  of  peril  which  it  is  not  necessary  here  to 
repeat. 


D  F.  V  r  L    S    HOLE. 


i 


A  mile  below  the  whirlpool  is  a  place  on  the  American 
side,  called  the  '*  Devil's  Hole,"  embracing  about  two 
acres  cut  out  laterally  and  perpendicularlv  in  the  rock  by 
the  side  of  the  river,  and  about  one  hun  (t  and  fifty  feet 
deep.  Tliis  name  was  probably  given  from  that  oinhe 
personage  more  frequently  invoked  in  this  region,  for- 
merly, than  any  other.  How  this  hole  was  thus  made 
it  is  difficult  to  conjecture.  Visiters  look  into  it  with 
silent,  inexpressible  amazement.  An  angle  of  this  hole 
or  gulf  comes  within  a  few  feet  of  the  stage  ••oad,  affording 
travellers  an  opportunity,  without  ah gh ting,  of  looking 
into  the  yawning  abyps.  But  they  ought  to  alight  and 
pass  to  the  farther  side  of  the  flat  projecting  rock,  where 
they  will  feel  themselves  richly  repaid  for  their  trouble. 
The  scenery  there  presented  is  singularly  captivating 
and  sublime. 


#% 


n^im^        I'  d^'^wLA- 


ii 


V 


72 


BOOK    OK 


r*cvil's  Hok'. 


'liii«!  ;»^ace  is  distinguished  by  an  incident  that  occurred 
about  the  year  3759.  A  company  of  British  soldiers, 
pursued  by  the  Frcncli  and  Indians,  wero  driven  off  this 
rock  at  iJie  point  of  the  bayonet.  All,  save  one,  instantly 
perished  upon  the  rocks  two  liundred  feet  beneath  them. 
This  one  fell  into  the  crotch  of  a  tree,  and  succeeded 
afterwards  in  ascending  the  bank  and  making  his  escape. 

A  mail  by  the  name  of  Steadman,  wlio  lived  at  Fort 
Schlosser,  \^as  among  tliis  company  of  Uritish,  but  made 
his  escape  on  horse-back  just  before  coming  to  the  bank, 
though  many  balls  whizzed  about  him  in  his  flight. — 
The  Indians  afterwards  imagined  nim  to  be  inip'  netrable 
and  invincible,  became  very  friendly,  and  ultimo  .ely,  in 
consideration  of  some  services  he  rendered  theni  ^ave 
him  all  the  land  included  between  Niagara  River  and  n 
straight  line  drawn  from  Gill  Creek  above  Fort  Sclilosser 
to  the  Devirs  Hole,  embracing  about  5000  acres.  The 
heirs  of  Steadman,  so  late  as  the  year  1823,  instituted 
and  carried  on  a  long  and  expensive  law-suit  against  the 
State  of  New  Yik,  to  recover  this  land.  But  they  could 
show  no  {.  ',  and  the  suit  resulted  in  favor  of  the  State 
and  the  pieseni  occupants. 


THK    FA  M.S. 


7a 


Tuscnrorii  IndiariH. 


T  U  S  C  A  11  O  R  A    INDIANS. 


,!•: 


Eight  iiiles  below  the  Falls  and  three  miles  back  from 
the  river,  is  the  reservation  of  the  TuscarDra  Indians, 
containing  two  miles  in  width  by  four  in  length,  (about 
5000  acres)  of  very  excellent  land.  They  consist  of 
about  three  hundred  souls,  have  a  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  50  members,  a  resident  clergjiman,  and  a  school 
teacher,  and  a  Temperance  Society  of  more  than  one 
hundred  members.  They  are  under  the  care  of  the 
American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  Their  village  is 
delightfully  situated  on  a  high  bank  commanding  an  ex- 
tensive prospect  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  of 
Lake  Ontario.  But  the  greator  part  of  the  Indians  live 
in  a  settlement  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  village,  and 
are  not  generally  seen  by  visiters. 

I'hese  Indians  came  from  North  Carolina  about  the 
year  1712,  and  joined  the  confederacy  of  the  Five  Na- 
tions, theriselves  making  the  Sixth.  They  formerly 
held  a  very  valuable  interest  in  land  in  North  Carolina, 
but  have  recently  sold  it  and  divided  the  proceeds  equally 


I 


74 


BOOK    OK 


TuHcarora  Indians. 


among  lliomselvcs.  Many  of  them  are  in  very  prosper- 
ous circumstances  ;  in  the  year  18IJ4,  one  man  growed 
and  gathered  fifty  acres  of  wlicat. 

Visiters  at  the  Falls  have  heen  in  the  habit  of  going, 
sometimes  in  crowds,  to  this  village  on  the  Sabbath  ;  but 
the  Indians  vvilh  their  Missionary,  liave  often  expressed 
their  desire  that  visiters  would  nol  interrupt  them  at  that 
time.  It  is  his  impression,  that  such  kind  of  visiters  and 
their  accompaniments,  and  made  too  by  such  multitudes, 
have  sucli  an  influence  upon  the  Indians,  as  completely 
to  counteract  his  cflbrls  for  the  time  being,  in  their  be- 
half; and  he  has  therefore  adopted  the  practice,  on  such 
occasions,  of  directing  his  preaching  entirely  to  the  visit- 
ers. The  Indians  complain  of  being  interrupted,  crowd- 
ed, and  made  a  gazing  stock,  and  of  having  a  constant 
example  of  Sabbath-breaking  set  before  them  and  their 
children  ;  and  that,  too,  by  those  from  whom  they  are 
taught  to  expect  better  things. 


THE    FAI.r.9 


7f> 


liuttlcd. 


B  A  T  T  I,  K  S  . 


£''^ 


In  life  inimodiate  vicinity  of  the  Falls  many  incident** 
have  occurred  to  impart  an  additional  interest.  This  was 
tiio  scene  of  a  number  of  battles  fought  during  the  last 
war  with  Great  Britain  ;  those  at  Fort  Erie,  Chippewa, 
and  Lundy's  Lane,  were  among  the  most  bloody  and 
liard-fought,  that  are  recorded  in  history.  In  the  battle 
near  Fort  Erie  there  was,  what  has  generally  been  consid- 
ered, a  Military  Chief  d'oeuvre  ;  the  Americans,  to  the 
number  of  1000  regulars  and  1000  of  the  militia,  made  a 
sortie  and  took  the  British  works  about  500  yards  from 
their  line,  and  returned  in  triumph.  The  battles  in  this 
region  occurred  in  the  following  order ;  viz  :  at  Queens- 
ton,  October  13,  1812  ;  at  York,  April  27,  1813  ;  at  Fort 
George,  May  27,  do.  ;  at  Stonney  Creek,  June  5,  do.  ;  at 
Beaver  Dam,  June  24,  do.  ;  Naval  Battle  on  Lake  Erie, 
September  10,  do.  ;  the  village  of  Niagara  Falls,  Lewis- 
ton,  and  Youngstown,  burnt  December  19,  do.  ;  Buffalo 
and  Black  Rock  burnt  December  31,  do.  ;  Fort  Erie  taken 
.luly  3,  1814  ;  battle  of  Chippewa,  July  6,  do.  ;  at  Bridg- 
water or  Lundy's  Lane,  July  25,  do.  ;  at  Fort  Erie,  Au- 
t;U3t  15,  and  September  17,  1814,  The  burning  of  villages 


I 


76 


HOOK    OF 


Bridges, 


and  plunder  of  property  on  the  American  side,  are  still 
remembered,  and  the  circumstances  detailed  with  thrilling 
interest,  by  many  of  the  inhabitants. . 


,1 


B  U  I  D  G  K  5  . 


In  the  year  1817,  abridge  was  constructed  from  the 
shore  across  the  rapids  to  the  head  of  Goat  Island,  but 
was  swept  away  by  the  ic3  the  ensuing  spring.  The 
present  bridge  was  constructed  in  1818,  and  is  forty-four 
rods  in  length,  exclusive  of  Bath  Island.  This  bridge, 
though  crossing  the  foaming  rapids  only  sixty-four  rods 
above  the  Falls,  over  which  visiters  are  at  first  disposed 
to  walk  lightly  and  wdth  quickened  pace,  is  perfectly  yafe 
for  all  kinds  of  teams  and  carriages,  and  seems  destined 
to  stand  a  great  length  of  time.  Multitudes  inquire,  with 
wonder  and  eager  curiosity,  how  it  could  have  been  con- 
atructed  in  this  imminently  dangerous  place. 

They  shall  be  informed  ;  and  they  will  see  that,  like  a 
thousand  other  difficult  things,  it  was  easily  accomplish- 
ed, when  the  hoio  was  ascertained.  Two  very  long  tim- 
bers were  thrust  out  from  the  shore  on  an  abutment, 
having  the  forwa^'l  enc.:3  elevated  a  little  above  the  rapids, 
and  the  others  fiiu    .  secured  upon  the  hank  ;  these  werf 


,  are  still 
1  thrilling 


from  the 
Island,  but 

iig.  The 
s  forty-four 
i'his  bridge, 
,y-fbur  rods 
rst  disposed 
jrfecily  safe 
ms  destined 
n quire,  with 
^^e  been  con- 

(  that,  like  a 
accomplish- 
sry  long  tim- 
1  abulmt-nt, 
e  the  rapids, 
;  these  wero 


# 


* 


l-rti 


■f' 


m 


THE    FALLS. 


rr 


IMincrals,  &c. 


^■^ 


\ 


then  covered  with  plank  for  a  temporary  bridge.  At  the 
extremity  of  this  bridge,  very  large  stones  were  let  down 
into  the  river,  around  which  timbers  were  sunk,  locked 
together  so  as  to  form  a  frame,  which  was  afterv/ards 
filled  with  stone.  To  this,  constituting  the  first  pier,  a 
firm  bridge  was  then  constructed,  and  the  temporary 
bridge  shoved  forward  so  as  to  build  a  second  pier  like  the 
first,  and  on,  till  the  whole  was  completed.  The 
honor  of  projecting  and  constructing  this  bridge  belongs 
jointly  and  equally  to  the  proprietors,  the  Hon.  Augustus 
and  General  Peter  B.  Porter. 

Till  the  year  1817,  tJiere  was  no  way  of  descending  or 
ascending  the  bank  below  the  Falls,  except  by  a  ladder 
about  ne  hundred  feet  in  length  ;  since  then,  a  safe  and 
convenient  flight  of  stairs  has  been  built,  by  vvhich  visit- 
ers can  have  an  easy  descent  to  the  ferry,  and  e.n  oppor- 
tunity to  pass  a  considerable  distance  behind  the  magnifi- 
cent sheet  of  vvaterr  Perhaps  there  is  no  place  where  the 
height  of  the  fall  is  so  impressively  realized  as  here. 


« 


i%- 


m^ 


i  U% 


PLACES    OF    RESORT  . — M  I  N  E  R  A  L  S  . 

There  are  a  number  of  pretty  establishments  at  the 
Falls  where  are  kept  on  hand  rich  specimens  of  the  min- 
eral,   fossil,    vegetable    and  animal  productions   of  the 

7* 


— » I 


n 


COOK    OF 


Incidents. 


vicinity.  Among  these  establishments  as  a  place  of  re* 
sort,  Mr.  W.  E.  Huletts*,  deserves  a  conspicuous  notice. 
His  place  is  directly  opposite  the  Cataract  Hotel,  and 
visiters  will  there  find  a  library,  reading-room,  billiard- 
room,  &>c.  &c.  and  a  most  splendid  collection  of  minerals, 
both  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Falls,  and  from  other  parts 
of  the  United  States. 

Mr.  A.  B.  Jacobs  on  Bath  Island,  Mr.  S.  Hooker,  and 
Mr.  E.  G.  Lindsey,  on  the  American  side,  and  Mr.  Bar- 
nett  at  his  Museum,  Mr.  Starkey  and  Mr.  Shultersburgh 
on  the  Canada  side,  keep  on  hand  an  assortment  of 
mineralogical  specimens,  a  variety  of  elegant  articles  of 
Indian  manufacture,  canes,  &c.  Among  the  minerals 
kept  for  sale,  are,  transparent  crystalized  selenites  ; 
snoW'White  gypsum  ;  calcareous,  bitter,  dog-tooth,  and 
fluor  spar ;  crystalized  quartz  ;  petrifactions  ;  favasites 
and  other  fossils  ;  shells,  &:c.  There  are  also  some  no- 
ble specimens  of  bald  and  grey  eagles,  witli  which  this 
region  abounds. 


INCIDENTS. 


Men  have  occasionally  been  drawn  into  the  rapids  with 
their  boats,  and  carried  over  the  Falls  ;  but  not  a  vestige 
of  them  or  their  boats  has  scarcely  ever  been  found.    The 


K'fe  :"^'*-.i'..'-.,>:raJ!ifctii4:ia    ; 


uM^B 


•^ 


THE   FALLS. 


a^ 


Incidenta. 


great  depth  of  tlie  water  below,  and  the  milky  foam  and 
tumultuous  agitation  occasioned  by  the  eddies,  whirl- 
pools, and  counter  currents,  make  it  next  to  impossible 
for  any  thing  once  sunk  to  rise  again,  until  carried  so  far 
down  the  stream  as  to  make  fruitless  any  research. 

In  the  year  1820,  two  men,  in  a  state  of  intoxication, 
fell  asleep  in  their  scow  which  was  fastened  at  the  mouth 
of  Chippewa  Creek  ;  while  there  it  broke  away,  and  they 
awoke  finding  themselves  beyond  the  reach  of  hope,  dash- 
ing over  the  rapids. 

In  the  year  1822,  tw^o  others,  engaged  in  removing 
some  furniture  from  Grand  Island,  were  by  some  careless- 
ness drawn  into  the  rapids,  and  hurried  over  the  cataract. 

In  1825, 'two  more,  in  aUempting  on  the  Sabbath  to 
smuggle  some  whiskey  across  to  Chippewa,  were  hurried 
into  the  rapids  and  shared  a  similar  fate.  A  story  has 
frequently  been  told  of  an  Indian,  who  fell  asleep  in  his 
canoe  some  miles  above,  and  awoke  in  the  midst  of  the 
rapids;  perceiving  that  all  efforts  to  escape  v/ould  be  vain, 
he  turned  his  bottle  of  whiskey  down  his  throat,  and 
composedly  awaited  the  awful  plunge.  This  story  the 
writer  believes  to  be  fabulous,  as  he  has  never  been  able 
to  find  any  foundation  for  it,  except  that  it  is  a  stereotype 
Indian  story,  told  as  having  happened  at  all  the  different 
falls  in  the  country . 

In  September  1827,  notice  having  been  given  in  the 


-- ' 


80 


BOOK    OF 


Vessels  driven  over  the  Falls. 


newspapers  that  the  Michigan,  a  large  vessel  that  had 
run  on  Lake  Erie,  would  be  sent  over  the  Falls,  thirty 
thousand  people,  it  was  supposed,  assembled  to  witness 
the  novel  spectacle.  On  board  of  this  vessel  were  put  two 
bears,  a  buffalo,  two  racoons,  a  dog,  and  a  goose  ;  the 
bears  leaped  off  in  the  midst  of  the  rapids,  and  miracu- 
lously almost,  finally  reached  the  shore  in  safely.  The 
others  went  over  and  perished.  The  Michigan  before  she 
reached  the  Falls,  having  been  considerable  broken  in  the 

t 

rapidsj  sunk  to  a  level  with  the  surface,  and  went  over 
near  the  centre  of  the  liorHe-shoe  fall.  The  distance  from 
deck  to  kf;el  was  sixteen  feet  ;  and  as  she  did  not  appear 
to  touch  the  bottom  for  eighty  rods  before  she  went  over, 
the  conclusion  is,  that  the  water  as  it  passes  over  the 
precipice  there  must  be  at  least  twenty  feet  deep. 

In  October  1829,  another  vessel,  the  Superior,  was 
advertised  to  be  sent  over,  which  drew  together  about 
fifteen  thousand  people.  This  vessel  lodged  in  the  rapids 
and  remained  a  number  of  weeks,  and  finally  passed  over 
the  Falls  in  the  night. 

In  August  1828,  a  small  sloop  abandoned  by  the  men 
through  fright,  near  the  mouth  of  Chippewa  Creek,  was 
blown  with  all  her  sails  up,  so  far  across  the  river  as  to 
come  down  on  the  American  side  of  Goat  Island  ;  but 
was  broken  to  a  perfect  wreck  in  the  rapids,  so  as  to  pas| 
under  the  bridge  and  over  the  Falls. 


I»v 


THE    FALLS. 


81 


",   was 

about 

rapids 

i  over 

i  men 
1  was 
as  to 
;  but 
pass 


Fill!  of  Table  Hoek. 


lu  July  1832,  a  canal  boat  was  blown  over  from  Chip- 
pewa, and  lodged  in  the  rapids  a  short  distance  above  the 
bridge.  Some  men  and  one  woman  were  on  board,  and 
were  saved  at  most  imminent  peril,  and  the  boat  was 
finally  secured  and  drawn  ashore. 

The  rock  at  the  Falls  is  hard  limestone  to  the  depth  of 
about  seventy  feet,  below  which  it  is  loose  crumbling 
shale,  which  is  constantly  wearing  away  and  leaving  a 
projection  of  the  limestone. 

A  mass  of  Table  Rock,  160  feet  in  length  and  from  30 
to  40  feet  in  width,  fell  oif  in  July  1818,  with  a  tremen- 
dous crash.  On  the  9th  of  December  1828,  three  immense 
portions  broke  from  the  horse-shoe  fall,  causing  a  shock 
iiktj  an  earthquake.  Another  large  portion  fell  in  the 
summer  of  1829,  ond  the  noise  it  occasioned  was  heard 
.several  miles.  And  yet,  judging  from  the  published 
accounts  of  the  Falls  which  reach  back  nearly  two  hun- 
dred years,  there  has  been  but  very  little  recession  of  the 
Falls  within  that  period. 

In  October  1829,  Sam  Patch  jumped  twice,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  thousands  of  spectators,  from  the  top  of  a  ladder 
ninety  seven  feet  high  into  the  eddy  below  the  Falls. 
This  ladder  was  erected  directly  below  the  Biddle  stair- 
case. Poor  Sam  afterwards  lost  his  life  by  jumping  from 
tjae  Falls  of  Genesee  River,  at  Rochester. 

May  19,   3835,  two  mGn  in  attempting  to  pass  down 


1,. 


.43 


S2 


BOOK     OF 


Biirninj^  of  the  Caroliue. 


the  river  from  Tonawanda  to  Chippewa  in  a  scow,  were 
driven  by  the  wind  into  the  rapids,  and  one  of  them  went 
over  the  Falls  ;  the  other,  after  leaping  from  the  scov/, 
reached  a  shoal  where  he  could  stand  in  the  water  with 
his  head  out.  In  this  situation  he  was  seen  from  tlie 
American  shore  ;  and  two  men,  at  the  imminent  hazard 
of  their  lives,  went  out  in  a  boat,  and  succeeded  in  saving 
him,  and  returning  safely  to  shore. 

Again  June  10,  1835,  two  men  in  passing  from  Schlos- 
ser  to  Chippewa,  in  a  skiff,  were  drawn  into  the  rapids 
and  hurried  to  destruction.  While  in  the  rapids,  they 
were  seen  for  a  short  time  by  perrons  on  the  Pavillion. — 
Some  days  afterwards,  their  bodies  were  found  in  an 
eddy  a  mile  below  the  Falk-,  one  of  which  was  deprived 
of  a  leg  and  an  arm. 

Another  melancholy  incident  happened  on  the  night 
of  December  29,  1837.  The  steamboat  Caroline,  while 
lying  at  Schlosser,  was  at  midnight  attacked  by  a  party 
of  Canadian  soldiers  and  several  on  board  murdered. 
She  was  then  towed  out  into  tlie  stream,  sot  on  lire,  and 
was  carried  over  the  Falls  hy  the  current.  Nothing  was 
to  be  found  of  her  the  next  morning  except  a  small  quan- 
tity of  the  wreck  which  was  thrown  upon  the  sliore  below 
the  Falls.  The  history  of  this  boat  was  somev/hat  siiig^ 
lar  ;  she  was  originally  built  at  Cliarleston,  S.  CaroliiMtfl 
was  from  thence  brought  to    New  York,   from  thence  t(f 


THE    FALLS. 


The  Hermit  of  Niafjura  Falls. 


83 


Albar  and  from  Albany  she  was  brought  through  the 
Erie  and  Oswego  Canals  to  Lake  Ontario,  and  from  Lake 
Ontario  through  the  Welland  Canal  to  Chippewa,  U.  C. 
between  which  place  and  Buffalo  she  plied  for  sometime 
as  a  passage  boat ;  last  season  she  was  seized  by  the 
Collector  of  Buffalo,  condemn^id,  and  sold  for  a  violation 
of  the  revenue  laws,  and  at  length  during  the  Canadian 
disturbances,  finished  her  career,  by  a  leap  down  the 
awful  abyss  of  Niagara. 


tHK     HERMIT     OF    NIAGARA     FALLS. 


June  10,  1831,  the  **  Hermit"  was  drowned  while  bath- 
ing in  the  river  biJow  the  Falls.  Tne  following  account 
of  this  singular  beiL^^  is  abridged  and  condensed  from  one 
drawn  up  and  published  soon  after  his  death. 

"  A  young  Englishman,  named  Francis  Abbott,  of  re- 
spectable connexions,  either  through  misfortune  or  a 
morbid  state  of  Wiind,  which  made  him  desire  seclusion, 
took  up  his  residence  on  Goat  Island,  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Fr.Hs,  for  two  years  ;  and  became  so  fas- 
cinated with  the  solitude,  and  infatuated  with  the  scene- 
ry, that  no  inducement  could  divert  his  thoughts,  or  draw 
iim  from  tb-*  spot,  where  he  acquired  the  name  of  the 
#  Hermit  i    .  lagara  Falls." 


&4 


nooK  ot 


Tlic  Hermit  of  Niur:     '  Falls. 


He  arrived  on  foot  in  June,  1829,  dressed  in  a  Iooho 
gown  or  cloak  of  a  chocolate  color,  carrying  under  his 
arm  a  roll  of  blankets,  a  flute,  a  portfolio,  and  a  large 
book  ;  which  constituted  the  whole  of  his  baggage.  He 
took  up  his  abode,  in  the  first  ir.^tance,  in  the  small  inn 
of  Ebenezer  Kelly,  on  the  American  side,  ^;ti[julating  that 
the  room  he  occupied  should  be  exclusively  his  own,  and 
that  certain  parts  of  his  cooking  only  should  be  done  by 
his  host.  He  then  repaired  to  the  Library,  where  he 
gave  his  name,  and  borrowed  some  books  and  music; 
books,  and  purchased  a  violin  ;  the  following  day  he 
tgn'm  visited  the  Library,  expatiated  largely,  with  great 
etifje  ani  ability,  on  the  beautiful  acenery  of  the  Falls, 
and  declared  his  intention  of  remaining  at  least  a  week  ; 
for  **  a  traveller  might  as  well,"  he  said,  "examine  in 
detail  the  various  museums  and  curiosities  of  Paris,  as 
become  acquainted  with  the  splendid  scenery  of  Niagara 
in  the  same  space  of  time."  On  a  subsequent  visit  he 
declared  his  intention  of  staying  at  least  a  month,  per- 
haps six.  Shortly  after,  he  d(;termined  on  fixing  his  abode 
on  Goat  Island,  and  was  desirous  of  erecting  a  hut,  in 
which  he  might  live  quite  secluded  ;  the  proprietor  of 
the  Island  not  thinking  proper  to  grant  this  request,  he 
occupied  a  small  room  in  the  only  house,  being  occasion- 
ally furnished  with  bread  and  milk  by  the  family,  ^it 
more  generally  providing  and  always  cooking  his  own 


THE   FALLS. 


85 


The  Ilerinit  of  Nlayani  Fulls. 


food.  During  Hie  necond  winter  of  lii«  seclusion,  the 
lUniily  removed,  and  t'»  the  ^uw  persons  with  whom  he 
held  communi  n,  heoxpressod  great  satisfaction  at  being 
able  to  live  alone. 

For  some  tune)     '  J  this  seclusion  ;  but  another 

family  having  enl.  house,  he  quitted  the  Island, 

and  built  himself  a  sniun  cottage  on  the  main  shore,  about 
thirty  rods  below  the  Great  Fall.     On  the  10th  of  June, 
1831,  he  was  seen  to  bathe  twice,   and  was  observed  by 
the  ferryman  to  enter  the  water  a  third  time  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ;  his  clothes   remaining  some 
hours   where   he   had   deposited    them,    an   alarm   was 
created,   and  an  ineliectual  search  was  made  for  him. 
On  the  21st,  his  body  was  taken  out  o£  the  river  at  Fort 
Niagara,  and  was  decently  intered  in  the  burial  ground 
near  the  Falls.     When  his  cottage  was  examined,  his 
dog  was  found  guarding  the  door,  and  was  with  difficulty 
removed  ;  his  cat  occupied  his  bed  ;   his  guitar,  violin, 
flutes,  music  books,  and  portfolio,  were  scattered  around 
in  confusion  ;  but  not  a  single  written  paper  of  any  kind 
was  found  (although  he  was  known  to  compose  much)  to 
throw  the  least  light  on  this  extraordinary  character. — 
He  was  a  person  of  highly  cultivated  mind  and  manners, 
a  master  of  languages,  deeply  read  in  the  arts  and  scien- 
ces, and  performed  on  various  musical  instruments  with 

great  taste  ;  his  drawings  were  also  very  spirited.     He 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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The  Hermit  of  Niagara  Fulls. 


.«* 


had  travelled  over  Europe  and  many  parts  of  the  East, 
and  possessed  great  colloquial  powers  when  inclined  to* 
be  sociable  ;  but  at  times  he  would  desire  not  to  be  spo- 
ken to,  and  communicated  his  wishes  on  a  slate  ;  some- 
times for  three  or  fou»'  months  together  he  would  go 
unsh^ved,  with  no  covering  on  his  heao,  and  his  body 
enveloped  in  a  blanket ;  shunning  all,  and  seeking  the 
deepest  solitude.  Hi«  age  was  not  more  than  twenty- 
eight,  his  person  well  made,  and  his  features  handsome.^ 

Many  spots  on  Goat  Island  are  consecrated  to  his 
memory ;  at  the  upper  end  he  established  his  walk, 
which  became  hard  trod  and  well  beaten  ;  between  the 
Island  and  Moss  Island  was  his  favorite  retreat  for 
bathing  ;  here  he  resorted  at  all  seasons  of  the  year, 
even  in  the  coldest  weather,  when  ice  was  on  the  river  ; 
on  the  bridge  to  the  Terrapin  Rocks,  it  was  his  daily 
practice  to  walk  for  hours,  from  one  extremity  to  the 
other,  with  a  quick  pace  ;  sometimes  he  would  let  him- 
self down  at  the  end  of  the  projecting  timber,  and  hang 
under  it  by  his  hands,  and  feet  over  the  terrific  precipice, 
for  fifteen  minutes  at  a  time,  and  in  the  wildest  hours  of 
the  night  he  was  often  found  walking  in  the  most  dan- 
gerous places  near  the  Falls. 

It  is  now  ascertained  that  this  Abbott  was  the  son  of 
the  late  John  Abbott,  (of Plymouth,  England,)  a  memb^ 
of  the  Society  of  Friends.     His  guitar,  that  beguiled  so 


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■>;»•,  ■^• 


THE    FALLS. 


87 


Village  of  Niagara  Falls. 


many  of  his  solitary  hours,  and  soothed  him  in  his  sor- 
rows, is  still  preserved  as  a  curiosity,  and  may  be  seen  at 
Mr.  Hooker's,  in  the  village  of  Niagara  Falls, 

"  Hush'd  is  the  lyre — the  hand  that  swept 

The  low  and  pensive  wires, 
Robbed  of  its  cunning,  from  the  task  retires. 

Yes— it  is  still— the  lyre  is  still  •, 
The  spirit  which  its  slumbers  broke. 
Hath  pass'd  away,— :ind  that  weak  hand  that  woke 
Its  forest  melodies ,  hath  lost  its  skill." 


VILLAGE    OP    NIAGARA    FALLS. 

The  country  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Falls  on 
both  sides  of  the  river,  presents  many  powerful  attrac- 
tions for  a  permanent  residence.  For  salubrity  of  air 
and  healthfulness  of  climate,  it  yields  to  no  spot  in  the 
United  States.     Here, 

*'  Nature  hath 
The  very  soul  of  nmsic  in  her  looks, 
The  sunshine  and  tiie  shade  of  poetry." 

The  latitude  here  is  43  degrees  6  minutes  North,  and 
the  longitude  2  degrees  6  minutes  West  from  Washing- 
ton. The  winters  are  generally  much  milder  than  in 
New  England,  owing  as  supposed,  to  the  action  of  the 
two  neighboring  lakes,  that  lie  on  either  side. 


** 


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■-  y  -■  %. 


88 


BOOK  or 


Village  of  Niagara  Falls. 


'm. 


In  a  pamphlet  published  in  l^ondon  in  the  year  1834, 
written  by  Robert  Burford,  Esq.  who  spent  the  summer 
and  autumn  of  1832,  in  taking  a  panoramic  view  of  the 
Falls,  it  is  stated  that  this  place  is  "  without  all  question, 
the  most  healthful  of  any  on  the  continent   of  North 
America.     The  heat  of  summer  can  there  be  borne  with 
pleasure,  while  at  the  same  time,  the  annoyance  of  mus- 
quitoes  and  other  insects  is  unknown.     Various  are  the 
conjectures  whence  arises  the   remarkable  salubrity    of 
this  region  ;  but  the  most  natural  is,  that  the  agitatiop 
of  the  surrounding  air  produced  by  the  tremendous  Falls, 
combines  with  the  elevation  and  dryness  of  the  soil,  and 
absence  of  all  swamps,  to  produce  this  happy  result." 

Jn  the  summer  of  1832,  when  the  cholera  raged  in  all 
the  villages  around,  as  Buffalo,  Lockport,  Lewiston,  «fec. 
not  a  smgle  case  occurred  here.  Again,  when  this  dis- 
ease visited  many  villages  in  the  vicinity,  in  the  summer 
of  1834,  this  place  was  wholly  exempt. 

The  village  of  Niagara  Falls  on  the  American  side, 
formerly  called  Manchester,  contains  about  50  families. 
For  ten  years  past  the  population  here  has  been  about 
stationary,  while  the  business  has  been  diminished. 

There  are  two  spacious  Hotels  in  the  village,  the  Eagle 
and  the  Cataract,  which  will  accommodate  one  hundred 
permanent  guests.  The  latter  is  kept  by  Mr.  Geo.  W. 
Hawley,  favorably  known  here  in  his  business.      The 


^rit  v.:j^4^K&^-i]i.'i^r<U^i?.'}As:-"- 


•)»•' 


TV. 


THE   FALLS. 


89 


Rail  Roads  .  .  .  Stapes. 


Eagle  Hotel,  by  Mr.  T.  W.  Fanning,  whose  gentlemanly 
conduct  and  excellent  arrangements  will  always  ensure 
Iiim  a  liberal  support.  A  most  splendid  Hotel  was  com- 
menced by  the  celebrated  Benjamin  Rathbun  in  the  year 
183C,  and  the  foundation  and  basement  were  completed, 
when  the  astounding  development  of  that  persons  affairs 
rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  assign  all  his  property, 
and  all  operations  on  the  building  in  question  ceased. 
It  is  supposed  however  that  the  building  will  be  complet- 
ed by  the  present  proprietors.  The  village  also  contains 
a  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  "Union  House,*'  for  the 
use  of  all  other  denominations  when  they  choose  to  come 
to  it.  It  has  a  Paper  Mill,  a  Flouring  Mill,  and  a  few  Me- 
chanic's Shops  ;  and  there  is  an  opportunity  of  using 
water  here  to  a  great  extent  for  hydraulic  purposes. 

Canal  boats  and  sloops  come  from  the  Erie  Canal  and 
the  Lake  to  Porter's  Store-house,  a  short  distance  above 
the  Falls.  There  are  three  Rail  Roads  now  finished, 
which  terminate  at  Niagara  Falls.  One  fiom  Buffalo, 
distant  22  miles — one  from  Lockport,  and  one  from  Lew- 
iston.  Stage  coaches  run  from  the  Falls  in  all  directions, 
and  the  mail  passes  regularly  twice  every  day.  The 
roads  from  Buffalo,  Lewiston,  and  Lockport  are  now  very 
good,  equal  to  any  in  this  region,  and  afford  to  travellers 
many  delightful  views  of  the   river,  the  Falls,  and  the 

rapids  ; — especially  as  the  road  from  Buffalo  to  Lewistoi) 

8* 


fc(  i 


m 
■Mil ' 


-.,*.A8 


EL^  «  ■;  A-f  !»,. *  .  »<  ■»^  *  it/i4 


\ :tiA<aLi  ■£; 


♦  .  • 


"■\"^'f^ie.^-^^\'     r,  ,(■  w 


■i- 


90 


Hook  of 


Canals  .  .  .  Roads  .  .  .  Steam-Boats. 


'i&i 


passes  very  near  the  bank  of  the  river  the  whole  distance. 
The  steamboat  Red  Jacket  also  runs  daily  from  Buffalo 
to   the  landing  two  miles  above   the  Falls,   and  thence 
acosB  to  Chippewa,  and  returns  daily  by  the  same  route. 
This  is  a  perfectly  safe  and  very  pleasant  route  to  the 
Falls.     At  Lewiston,  seven  miles  below,  steamboats  from 
Lake  Ontario  are  daily  bringing  and  receiving  passen- 
gers.    Near  Lewiston  commences  the  celebrated  Rridge 
Road, — formerly,  without  doubt,  a  sand  bar  on  the  mar- 
gin of  Lake  Ontario, — and  runs  east  to  Rochester,  and 
thence  nearly  to  Oswego,  a  distance  of  about  140  miles. 
It  runs  parallel  with  the  Lake,  from  six  to  ten  miles  dis- 
tant, is  from  forty  to  eighty  yards  wide,  thirty  feet  higher 
than  the  contiguous  land,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  feet  higher  than  the  Lake.     It  is  an  excellent  road 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 


'■-v:':-i'    ""'--mr 


THE  Falls. 


91 


Number  of  Visiters. 


NUMBER    OF    VI91TERg. 


The  number  of  visiters  at  the  Falls  has  of  late  years 
been  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  annually,  and  the 
number  is  every  year  increasing.  On  the  occasion  of 
sending  the  Michigan  over  the  Falls,  some  years  since, 
from  thirty  to  fifty  thousand  persons  were  supposed  to  be 
here  together,  and  when  the  Superior  was  sent  over, 
fifteen  thousand.  The  fashionable,  the  opulent,  and  the 
learned,  congregate  here  from  the  principal  cities  of  the 
country,  from  the  Southern  and  Western  States,  South 
America,  the  West  Indies,  the  Canadas,  all  parts  of 
Europe,  and  indeed  from  all  countries. 

On  inquiry  at  one  of  the  hotels  on  an  ordinary  occa- 
sion in  the  summer,  it  was  ascertained  that  there  were 
three  foreign  Consuls,  a  Swiss  Colonel,  two  of  Bona- 
parte's Legion  of  Honor;  Hanaburg,  Madrass,  Ceylon, 
Sidney,  (N.  S.  Wales,)  British,  Spanish,  and  Haytien 
merchants,  a  family  from  Constantinople,  gentlemen  of 
various  professions  from  Berlin,  Moscow,  Madrid,  Ma- 
deira, and  Malta ;  five  from  Ireland,  three  from  Scot- 


^r 


*ii,  ';.!.tii(i«,i..,t»-a 


98 


BOOK    OF 


NmiibtT  of  Visiitors  .  .  .  ISinnara. 


lane],  four  from  England,  and  a  multitude  from  all  parts 
of  the  United  States.  J^xilcd  monaiciis,  foreign  ambas- 
sadors,  wliigs,  tories,  radicals,  royalists,  naval  and  mili- 
tar}'  officers,  governors,  judges,  lawyers,  senators,  &c. 
with  a  good  proportion  or  female  worthies,*  assemble 
hero  to  view  these  indescribable  works  of  God.  One  of 
these  last,  during  a  visit  here  in  the  summer  of  1834, 
penned  the  following  beautitul  lines,  which  are  worthy 
of  being  preserved  as  a  memorial  of  female  worth   and 


genms. 


NIAGARA. 

Flov/  on  forever,  in  thy  glorious  robe 
Of  terror  !in<l  of  beauty  !     God  iiutli  s^'t 
His  rainbow  on  lliy  forehead,  and  the  cloud 
Mantles  around  thy  feet.     And  he  doth  give 
The  voice  of  thunder,  power  to  speak  of  Him 
Eternally — bidding  the  lip  of  man 
Keep  silence,  and  upon  thy  rocky  altar  pour 
Incense  of  awe-stricken  praise. 

And  who  can  dare 
To  lift  the  insect  Irmnp  of  earthly  Hope, 
Or  Love,  or  Sorrow, — 'mid  the   )eal  sublime 
Of  thy  tremendous  hymn  ? — K'en  Ocean  shrinks 
Hafk  from  thy  brotherhood,  and  his  wild  waves 
Retire  abashed. — For  he  doth  sometimes  seem 
To  sleep  like  a  spent  laborer,  and  recall 
His  weary  billows  from  their  vexing  play, 
And  lull  them  in  a  cradle  calm ;— but  thou, 
With  everlasting,  undecaying  tide, 
Dost  rest  not,  night  or  day. 

The  morning  stars, 
When  first  they  sang  o'er  young  Creation's  birth, 


■■*•  .■ 


^■^ 


i^ ' 


THK    FALLS. 


93 


Niagara. 


Heard  thy  deep  anthem — and  those  wrecking  fires 
That  wait  th'  Archangel's  signal  to  dissolve 
The  solid  Earth,  shall  find  Jehovah's  name 
Graven,  as  with  a  thousand  diamond  spears, 
On  thy  unfathomed  page.    Each  leafy  bough, 
That  lifts  itself  within  thy  proud  domain. 
Doth  gather  greatness  from  thy  living  spray, 
And  tremble  at  the  baptism.    Lo !  yon  birds, 
Do  venture  boldly  near,  bathing  their  wing 
Amid  thy  foam  and  mist. — 'Tis  meet  for  them 
To  touch  thy  garment's  hem, — or  lightly  stir 
The  snowy  leaflets  of  thy  vapor  wreath, — 
Who  sport  unharmed  upon  the  fleecy  cloud, 
And  listen  at  the  gates  of  Heaven, 
"Without  reproof.    But,  as  for  us, — it  seems 
Scarce  lawful  with  our  broken  tones  to  speak 
Familiarly  of  thee.    Methinks,  H  tint 
Thy  glorious  features  with  our  pencil's  point, 
Or  V^oo  thee  to  the  tablet  of  a  song, 
Were  profanation. 

Thou  dost  make  the  soul  v^ 

A  wandering  witness  of  thy  piajesty  ; 
And  while  it  rushes  with  delirious  joy 
To  tread  thy  vestibule,  dost  chain  its  step. 
And  check  its  rapture,  with  the  humbling  view 
Of  its  own  nothingness — bidding  it  stand 
In  the  dread  presence  of  th'  Invisible, 
As  if  to  answer  to  its  God  through  thee. 
Hartforcl,  Conn.  L.  II.  S. 


This  will  no  doubt  hereafter  become  a  place  of  great 
resort  for  invalids,  as  the  health  of  such  is  generally 
observed  to  improve  immediately  on  coming  here.  If  any 
place  in  the  country  is  peculiarly  propitious  for  the  reco- 
very and  preservation  of  health,  this  is  the  place. 


:-i.LiWd 


04 


J.. 


l./!4>- 


«00K    OF 
Visitors  .  .  .  Piirtif'fl,  &c. 


During  tlie  winter  niontlis,  tliough  there  are  are  many 
visiters,  thoj'  are  generally  such  as  are  passing  through 
the  region  on  business,  and  slay  only  a  short  time.  Fre- 
quently however,  parties  from  Buffalo,  Lockport,  Roch- 
ester, Canandaigua,  and  other  places,  visit  the  Falls  by 
sleighing  ;  and  after  spending  a  day  or  two,  go  away 
enraptured  with  the  scene. 

Many  visiters  err  greatly  in  their  calculations  in  regard 
to  the  time  which  they  ought  to  spend  here.  They 
come  hundreds  and  sometimes  thousands  of  miles  to  view 
the  Falls,  and  then  hurry  away  before  they  have  had 
time  to  get  any  verji  full  or  distinct  impression  of  the 
scene,  or  to  visit  one  fifth  of  the  interesting  points,  from 
which  the  Falls  and  rapids  ought  to  be  viewed.  The 
object  of  the  visit  is  thus  in  a  great  measure  lost.  Visit- 
ers ought  to  make  their  calculations,  in  the  summer 
especially,  to  spend  at  least  a  week,  and  then  they  will 
begin  to  feel  some  regret  at  leaving.  A  distinct  and 
lasting  impression  can  be  obtained  only  by  looking  at 
single  portions  and  objects  at  a  time,  and  examining 
these  frequently  and  from  different  positions. 

"  Tie  sight  of  nature  in  her  magnificence,  or  in  her 
beauty,  or  in  her  terror,  has  at  all  times  an  overpowering 
interest,  which  even  habit  cannot  greatly  weaken  ;"  and 
let  none  have  any  apprehension  that  the  scenes  here 
will  loose  their  interest  by  familiarity. 


E 


TIIK    FALLS. 


y; 


Places  ofrrsort  in  thf,  vicinity  of  tlie  Fulls. 

Persons  who  spend  some  time  at  tlie  Falls,  will  find 
several  places  in  the  vicinity,  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
worthy  a  special  visit.  Eleven  miles  south,  on  the 
American  side,  is  the  village  of  Tonawanta,  from  which 
there  is  a  ferry  across  to  While  Haven  on  Grand  Island  ; 
proceeding  eleven  miles  further,  you  pass  through  Black 
Rock  to  Buffalo  and  Lake  Erie.  Goin^f  north  from  the 
Falls  two  miles,  you  find  the  Mineral  Spring  ;  one  mile 
further  the  Wiiirlpool ;  half  a  mile  furllier  the  Devil's 
Hole  ;  eight  miles  from  the  Falls  the  village  of  the  Tus- 
carora  Indians ;  seven  miles,  Lcwiston  village,  where 
the  steam-boats  from  Lake  Ontario  receive  passengers  ; 
seven  miles  below  Lewistonis  the  village  of  Youngstown, 
and  one  mile  further  Fort  Niagara  standing  on  the  border 
of  the  Lake.  '%  . 

From  the  Falls  on  the  Canada  side,  one  mile  south, 
brings  you  to  the  burning  spring  ;  two  and  a  half  miles 
to  Chippewa  battle  ground  and  village  ;  twenty  miles 
through  the  village  of  Waterloo  to  Fort  Erie  near  Lake 
Erie.  From  the  Falls  north,  one  mile  brings  you  to  Lun- 
dy*s  Lane,  where  the  battle  of  Bridge  water  was  fought  ; 
three  and  a  half  miles  to  the  Whirlpool ;  six  and  a  half  to 
Queenston  Heights  and  Brock's  Monument ;  seven 
miles  to  Queenston  village,  opposite  Lewiston ;  and 
fourteen  miles  to  the  village  of  Niagara  and  Fort  George. 
Eight  miles  from  the  Falls  west,  is  the  *-^  Deep  Cut,"  so 


*)f- 


>» 


m 


•  4ijPi.'3t.  tV-      ^        'A       '  ^^OV^. 


m 


UOOK    OF 


Koutcs  and  Churgei. 


called  of  the  Welland  Canal,  a  place  much  visited  in  the 
summer.  To  carry  you  to  any  or  all  these  places,  car- 
riages can  always  be  had  at  a  few  moment's  notice  on 
either  side  of  the  river. 


Fi 


ROUTES     AND    CHARGES. 


# 


Every  traveller  may  be  presumed  to  know  his  way  to 
the  Falls,  and  to  be  capable  of  choosing  his  mode  of  con- 
veyance. The  general  routes  are, — from  New  England, 
New  York,  or  the  southern  cities, — by  steamboat,  and 
9tage,  or  by  the  Erie  Canal.  From  Montreal,  Kingston, 
Toronto,  Sacket's  Harbor,  or  Oswego, — by  steamboat 
through  Lake  Ontario  to  Niagara  or  Lewiston  ;  on  which 
Lake,  about  twenty  steamboats  are  in  operation.  From 
the  Southern  and  Western  States, — by  steamboat 
through  Lake  Erie,  where  you  will  find  more  than  fifty 
in  operation.  Persons  wishing  to  go  from  New  Orleans, 
or  any  of  the  Western  States  to  New  York  or  New  Eng- 
land, and  vice  versa,  will  find  this  route  much  the  pleas- 
anteat  and  the  chjeapest.  The  general  charges  are,  from 
New  York  to  Albany,  $2,00  ;  from  Albany  to  Niagara 


THE   FALLI. 


07 


Iloutes  .  .  .  Sleutnboat  (ind  Stngt;  Fare. 


■i 


Falls  by  packet-boat  on  the  canal,  $13,00  ;  from  Niagara 
Falls  to  Buffalo,  $1,00  ;  from  Buffalo  to  Cleveland,  cabin 
passage,  $0,00 ;  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit,  $8,00 ;  to 
Mackinaw  and  Saute  St.  Maria,  $12,00  ;  and  to  Chicago, 
Green  Bay,  and  St.  Josephs,  $20,00  ;  from  Cleveland  to 
Pittsburgh,  $6,00  ;  from  Cleveland  or  Sandusky  to  Cin- 
cinnati, $12,00  ;  from  Pittsburgh  to  Wheeling,  $3,00  } 
thence  to  Cincinnati  by  the  river,  $10,00,  or  by  stage, 
$14,00  ;  from  Cincinnati  to  Louisville,  $4,00  ;  to  New- 
Orleans,  $25,00  ;  return  the  same  ;  from  Cincinnati  to 
St.  Louis,  $16,00 ;  from  St.  Louis  to  New  Orleans, 
$25,00.  These  charges  will  doubtless  be  reduced,  as  the 
facilities  for  travelling  are  increased.  Charges  on  Lake 
Ontario ;  from  Lewiston  to  Toronto,  $2,00  ;  do.  to 
Rochester,  $3,00  ;  do.  to  Kingston,  $7,00  ;  do.  to  Os- 
wego and  Sacket's  Plarbor,  6,00  ;  do.  to  Ogdensburgh 
and  Prescott,  $8,00  ;  do.  to  Quebec,  $20,00.  Fare  on 
the  canal ; — in  the  packets,  four  cents  per  mile  including 
board  ;  in  the  line  boats,  two  and  a  half  cents  per  mile 
including  board.  Fare  in  stage  coaches,  average  about 
$1,00  per  twenty  miles. 

9 


%m 


Hi; 


•.■^^-j^t 


f 


ifW-e-Wii^ 


98 


m 


■0^ 


fiOOK    OF 


DcsiTiplion  of  tlie  I'"'ulls. 


f»F' 


15^ 


h.     '■ 


APPENDIX. 


a;t  ..»,s- 


b  K  .S  C  R  I  P  T  1  O  N    OF    ^M  A  G  A  K  A    F  A  T,  L  S  . 

In  approaching  the  end  of  our  htile  volume,  we  cannot 

refrain  from  inserting  a  few  extracts   from  the  pens  of 

those  who  by  their  language,  show  thit  they  had  minds 

to  understand,  and  souls  to  appreciate,  the  sublimity  and 

loveliness  of  Niagara.     The  first  is  from  the  pen  of  the 

Rev.  Andrew  Reed,  author  of  that  simple,  yet  beautiful 

work,  "  No  Fiction,"    and  is,   we  think,  a  most  happy 

effort,  and  by  far  the  best  description  we  ever  met  with, 

.embodied  in  so  few  words.  "^ 

f*  At  length  we  saw  the  spray  rising  through  the  trees, 
and  settling  like  a  white  cloud  over  them  ;  and  then  we 
heard  the  voice  of  the  mighty  waters — a  voice  all  its 
own,  and  worthy  of  itself.  Have  you  never  felt  a  trem- 
bling backwardness  to  look  on  what  you  have  intensely 
desired  to  see?  If  not,  you  will  hardly  understand  my 
feeling.  While  all  were  now  searching  for  some  glance 
of  the  object  itself,  1  was  disposed  to  turn  aside,  lest  it 
should  surprise  me.  This,  no  doubt;  was  partly  caused 
by  the  remark  I  had  so  often  heard,  that  the  first  view 
disappoints  you.  I  concluded,  that  this  arose  from  the 
first  view  not  being  a  fair  one,  and  I  wag  determined  to 
do  justice  to  the  object  of  my  reverence.  In  fulfilling 
this  purpose,  I  reached  the  Pavilion  without  seeing  any 


>  t^Lii.zf. 


;*., 


% 


S  . 

e  cannot 

le  pens  of 

had  minds 

iimity  and 

pen  of  the 

;t  beautiful 

lost  happy 

met  with, 


Mt 


h  the  trees, 
nd  then  we 
)ice  all  its 
felt  a  trem- 
e  intensely 
orstand  my 
ome  glance 
side,  lest  it 
rtly  caused 
I  first  view 
se  from  the 
ermined  to 
n  fulfilling 
seeincr  any 


irim. 


'ft<i4«-'K' 


Jrflm-  l/u-  fppl  pftheSlt/ircosc. 


..^- 


THE    FALLS. 


99 


Description  of  t lie  Fulls. 


i.^1 


thing  ;  disposed  of  my  affairs  there,  and  hastened  down 
towards  the  Falls  ;  and  found  myself  actually  on  the 
Table  Rock  to  receive  my  first  impressions.  | 

"  Let  any  one  pursue  the  same  course,  and  he^  will  not 
tfilk   of  first  impressions   disappointing  him  ;   or   if  he 
.should,  then  he  ought  to  go  twenty  miles  another  way, 
Niagara  was  not  made  for  him. 

*'  From   the  Table  Rock  1  dt3scended  to  the  base. — 
There  I  clambered  out  on  the  broken  rocks,  and  sat — I 
know  not  how  long.     The  day  was  the  least  favourable 
of  any  we  had.     The  atmosphere  was  heavy  ;  1  he  foam 
hung  about  the  object  and  concealed  one  half  of  it  ;  and 
the  wind  blew  from  the  opposite  side,  and  brought  the 
spray  upon  you,  so  as  to  wet  you  exceedingly.     The  use 
.of  cloak  and  umbrella  were  troublesome  ;    you  could  not 
•wholly  forget  your  person,  and  think  only  of  one  thing. 
However,  had  1  not  seen  it  in  this  state  of  the  atmosphere , 
1  should  have  wanted  some  views  which  now  occupy  my 
imagination.     The  whole  is  exceedingly  solemn  when 
nature  frowns  ;  and  when  much  is  hidden,  while  yet  the 
eye  has  not  marked  the  outline,  there  is  a  mysteriousness 
spread  over  the  object  which  suits  your  conception  of  its 
greatness,  and  in   which   the  imagination  loves  to  luxu- 
riate.    I  can  scarcely  define  to  you  my  iu  '^ressions  on  this 
first  day  ;  lean  scarcely  define  them  to  n.^yself.     I  was 
certainly  not  disappointed  ;  but  1  was  confounded.     I  felt 
as  though  1  had  received  a  shock,  and  required  time  to 
right  myself  again. 

**I  returned  to  the  Pavilion,  wliich  is  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  Falls,  and  retired  to  my  chamber,  which  over- 
looked  them,     i  mused  on  wiuii  i  had  s^^en,  and  was  siill 


#-' 


1^ 


'*<. 


100 


BOOK    OF 


Description  of  the  FaUf^ 


-■* 


;«ito 


confounded.  I  sought  lest  that  J  might  be  fresh  for  the 
morrow  ;  but  rest  did  not  come  so  freely.  The  continu- 
oufii  deep  sounds  of  the  waters  would  have  sung  me  to 
sleep»  but  the  tremour  of  the  house  and  ^ound,  which 
shook  the  window  like  those  of  a  stage  coach,  kept  me 
wakeful ;  and  when  1  fell  into  plumbers,  the  flitting 
dreams  of  what  I  had  seen,  would  trouble  and  br^ak 
them.  ~w^  mb  '" 

<<  Notwithstanding  7.II  disturbances,  I  rose  on  the  next 
morning  in  good  spirits.  The  day  was  all  that  could  be 
wished.  The  sun  shining,  the  heavens  transparent,  gar- 
nished with  bright  and  peaceful  clouds.  The  wind,  too, 
was  gentle  and  refreshing  ;  and  had  shifted  to  our  side, 
so  as  to  promise  the  nearest  points  of  sight  without  the 
discomfort  of  getting  wet  through.  ,       .^^^ 

^  **  1  now  look  fairly  on  the  scene  as  it  presenteil  itseff 
ai:|p^  window,  in  the  fair  lights  of  the  morning,  it  is 
coiiij|ibsed  rather  of  the  accompaniments  of  the  fall  than 
of  the  fall  itself.  Tou  look  up  the  river  full  ten  miles, 
and  it  runs  in  this  part  from  two  to  three  miles  in  breadth. 
Here  it  has  formed,  in  its  passage,  beautiful  little  bays  ; 
and  there  it  has  worked  through  the  slips  of  mainland, 
putting  out  the  fragments  as  so  many  islets  to  decorate 
its  surface  ;  while,  on  either  hand,  it  is  bounded  by  the 
original  forests  of  pine.  At  the  upper  extremity  you  see 
the  blue  waters  calmly  resting  under  the  more  cerulean 
heavens  ;  while  nearer  to  you  it  becomes  agitated,  like  a 
strong  man  preparing  to  run  a  racp.  It  swells,  and  foams , 
and  recoils,  as  though  it  were  committed  to  some  despe- 
rate issue  ;  and  then  suddenly  contracts  its  dimensions, 
as   if  to  gather  up  all  its  power  for  the  mighty  leap 


.*«(.'- 


■:??r 


>,!*. 


a,.  -i^M 


,  y  uT^' 


THU   %'ALLS. 


101 


Description  of  the  Palis. 


it  is  about  to  make.     This  is  all  you  see  here  ;  and  it  is 
enough.  ^ 

**  1  left  the  hotel,  and  went  down  to  the  Table  Rock, 
This  is  usually  de^^med  the  great  point  of  sight ;  and  for 
an  upper  view  it  undoubtedly  is.  It  is  composed  of  seve- 
ral ledges  of  rocks,  having  different  advantages,  and  pro- 
jecting as  far  over  the  gulf  below  as  they  can  to  be  safe. 
But  how  shall  I  describe  the  objects  before  me  1  The 
mysterious  veil  wliich  lay  heavily  yesterday  on  a  large 
part  of  it,  was  now  removed  ;  and  the  outline  of  the  pic- 
ture was  mostly  seen.  An  ordinary  picture  would  have 
sufiered  by  this  ;  but  here  the  real  dimensions  are  so  vast, 
and  so  far  beyond  what  the  eye  has  measured,  that  to  see 
them  is  not  to  fetter,  but  to  assist  the  imagination.  This 
fall,  which  is  called  the  Horseshoe  Fall,  is  upwards  of 
two  thousand  feet  in  extent,  and  makes  a  leap,  on  an 
average,  of  about  200  feet,  Now  just  enlarge  your  con- 
ceptions to  these  surprising  dimensions,  and  suppose 
yourself  to  be  recumbent  on  the  projecting  rock  which  I 
have  named,  as  near  the  verge  as  you  dare,  and  I  will 
assist  you  to  look  at  the  objects  as  they  present  them- 
selves. 

**  You  see  not  now  above  the  cataract  the  bed  of  the 
river,  but  you  still  see  the  foaming  heads  of  the  rapids, 
like  waves  of  the  ocean,  hurrying  to  the  precipice  ;  and 
over  them  the  light  clouds  which  float  on  the  horizon. — 
Then  comes  the  chute  itself.  It  is  not  in  the  form  of  the 
horseshoe  ;  it  is  not  composed  of  either  circular  or  straight 
lines  ;  but  it  partakes  of  both ;  and  throughout  it  is 
marked  by  projections  and  indentations,  which  give  an 
amazing  variety  of  form  and  aspect.    With  all    this 

9* 


^/.  «'• 


*  ■■*■ 


loa 


V"":«^v:"-''^-;:' 

• 

BOOK  or 

,    ■          __                            „», ^, 

Description  of  tho  F&}}», 


f 

■if  ' 


variety  it  is  one.  It  has  all  the  power  which  is  derived 
from  unity,  and  none  of  the  stiffness  which  belongs  to 
nniibrmity.  There  it  falls  in  one  dense  awful  mass  of 
green  waters,  unbroken  and  resistless  ;  here  it  is  broken 
into  drops,  and  falls  like  a  sea  of  diamonds  sparkling  in 
the  sun.  Now  it  shoots  forth  like  rockets  in  endless  suc- 
cession ;  and  now  it  is  so  light  and  foaming  that  it  dan- 
ces  in  the  sun  as  it  goes,  and  before  it  has  reached  the 
pool,  it  is  driven  up  again  by  the  ascending  currents  of 
air.  Then  there  is  the  deep  expanding  pool  below. — 
Where  the  waters  pitch,  all  is  agitation  and  foam,  so  that 
the  foot  of  the  fall  is  never  seen ;  and  beyond  it  and 
away,  the  waters  spread  themselves  out  like  a  rippling 
sea  of  liquid  alabaster.  This  last  feature  is  perfiectly 
unique,  and  you  would  think  nothing  could  add  to  its 
exquisite  loveliness  ;  but  there  lies  on  it,  as  i  f  they  were 
made  for  each  other,  **  heaven's  own  bow."  O  never 
had  it,  in  heaven  itself,  so  fair  a  resting-place  ! 

<<  Besides,  by  reason  of  the  different  degrees  of  rarity 
in  the  waters  and  the  atmosphere,  the  sun  is  pervading 
the  whole  scene  with  unwonted  lights  and  hues.  And 
the  foam  which  is  flying  off  in  all  directions,  is  insensibly 
condensed,  and  forms  a  pillar  of  cloud,  which  moves  over 
the  scene,  as  it  once  did  over  the  tents  of  Israel,  and 
apparently  by  the  same  bidding,  giving  amazing  variety, 
and  sublimity,  and  unearthliness  to  the  picture.  Then 
there  is  sound  as  well  as  sight ;  but  what  sound  !  it  is 
not  like  the  sea ;  nor  lik  ^  the  thunder  ;  nor  Hke  any  thing 
1  have  heard.  There  is  no  roar,  no  rattle  ;  nothing  sharp 
or  angry  in  its  tones  ;  it  is  deep,  awful,  one  1 


*.M5., 


P-s 


THE    FALLS. 


lorj 


Pcscriptioii  of  the  Falls* 


**  Well,  as  soon  as  I  could  disengage  myself  from  this 
spot,  I  descended  to  the  bed  of  the  fall.  1  am  never  sat- 
isfied with  any  fall  till  I  have  availed  myself  ef  the  very 
lowest  standing  it  supplies  ;  it  is  there  usually  that  you 
become  susceptible  of  its  utmost  power.  1  scrambled, 
therefore,  over  the  dislocated  rocKs,  and  put  myself  as 
near  as  possible  to  the  object  which  I  wished  to  absorb 
me.     1  was  not  disappointed. 

**  There  were  now  fewer  objects  in  the  picture  ;  but 
what  you  saw  had  greater  prominence  and  power  over 
you.  Every  thing  ordinary — foliage,  trees,  hills — was 
shut  out ;  the  smaller  attributes  of  the  fall  were  also  ex- 
cluded ;  and  I  was  left  alone  with  its  own  greatness.  At 
my  feet  the  waters  were  creaming,  swelling,  and  dashing 
away,  as  if  in  terror,  from  the  scene  of  coiiflict,  at  the 
rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour.  Above  and  overhanging 
me  was  the  Table  Rock,  with  its  majestic  form,  and  dark 
and  livid  colors,  threatening  to  crush  one.  While  imme- 
diately before  me  was  spread  in  all  its  height  .and 
majesty — not  in  parts,  but  as  a  whole,  beyond  what  the 
eye  could  embrace — the  unspeakable  cataract  itself; 
with  its  head  now  touching  the  horison,  and  seeming  to 
fall  direct  from  heaven,  and  rushing  to  the  earth  with  a 
weight  and  voice  which  made  the  rocks  beneath  and 
around  me  fearfully  to  tremble.  Over  this  scene  the 
cloud  of  foam  mysteriously  moved,  rising  upward,  so  as 
to  spread  itself  partly  on  the  face  of  the  fall,  and  partly 
on  the  face  of  the  sky  ;  while  over  all  were  seen  the  beau- 
tiful and  soft  colors  of  the  rainbow,   forming  almost  an 

entire  circle,  and  crowning  it  with  celestial  glory.     But 

9##^ 


m 


el 


•TT 


'^- 


■  r?^'.':  ■.•'■  ' 


^'.fewj-, 


104 


fiook  uF 


Description  of  the  Falls. 


it  is  in  vain.     The  power,  the  sublimity,  the  beauly,  the 
bliss  of  that  spot,  of  that  hour-— it  cannot  be  told. 

**  When  fairly  exhausted  by  intensity  of  feeling,  I 
strolled  away  towards  the  ferry,  to  pass  over  to  the  Ame- 
rican side.  The  Falls  here,  from  the  distance,  have  a 
plain  and  uniform  aspect ;  but  this  wholly  disappears  on 
approaching  them.  They  are  exceedingly  fine.  They 
do  not  subdue  you  as  on  the  Canadian  side  ;  but  they 
fill  you  with  a  solemn  and  delightful  sense  of  their  gran- 
deur aiid  beauty.  The  character  of  the  one  is  beautiful, 
inclining  to  the  sublime  ;  and  that  of  the  other,  the  sub* 
lime,  inclining  to  the  beautiful.  There  is  a  single  slip  of 
the  fall  on  this  side,  which,  in  any  other  situation,  would 
be  regarded  as  a  most  noble  cataract.  It  falls  upwards 
of 200  feet ;  it  is  full  20  feet  wide  at  the  point  of  fall, 
and  spreads  itself  like  a  fan  in  falling,  so  as  to  strike  on 
a  line  of  some  50  or  60  feet.  It  has  great  power  and 
beauty. 

<<  I  found  that  there  was  a  small  ledge  of  rock  behind 
this  fall,  and  ventured  on  it  to  about  the  centre.  Tou 
can  stand  here  without  getting  at  all  wet ;  the  waters 
shoot  out  several  feet  before  you  ;  and,  if  you  have 
nerve  it  is  entirely  safe.  I  need  not  say  that  the  nov- 
elty and  beauty  of  the  situation  amply  reward  you.  You 
are  behind  the  sheet  of  water,  and  the  sun  is  shining  on 
its  face,  illuminating  the  whole  body  with  a  variety  pro- 
portioned to  its  density.  Here,  before  you,  the  heavy 
waters  fall  in  unbroken  columns  of  bright  green.  There, 
they  flow  down  like  a  shower  of  massy  crystals,  radiant 
with  light,  and  emitting  as  they  fall  all  the  prismatic 
colors  ;   while  there^  again,  they  are  so   broken  and 


.JW'at 


THE   PALLS 


101 


Description  of  the  Falls. 


he 


divided  as  to  resemble  a  shower  of  gems  spa  kling  in 
light,  and  shooting  across  the  bhie  heavens. 

**  1  passed  by  what  is  called  Goat  Island  to  the  extre- 
mity of  the  Horseshoe  Fall  on  this  side.  There  is  car- 
ried out  over  the  head  of  this  fall  a  limb  of  timber,  with 
a  hand-rail  to  it.  It  projects  some  12  feet  over  the  abyss, 
and  is  meant  to  supply  the  place  of  the  Table  Rock  on 
the  other  side,  it  does  so  in  a  great  measure  ;  and  as, 
while  it  is  quite  as  safe,  it  gives  you  far  less  sense  of 
safety,  it  disposes  you  the  more  to  sympathize  with  ob- 
jects of  terror.  Indeed,  when  you  fairly  get  to  the  extre- 
mity, and  find  yourself  standing  out  in  this  world  of  wa- 
ters on  a  slip  of  wood  only  large  enough  for  your  feet  •  to 
rest  on,  and  which  is  quivermg  beneath  you  ;  when  the 
waters  are  rushing  down  under  you  ;  when  the  spray  is 
flying  over  you  ;  and  when  the  eye  seeks  to  fathom  the 
unfathomable  and  boisterous  gulf  below  ;  you  have,  per- 
haps, as  much  of  the  terrible  as  will  consist  with  gratifi- 
cation.  Very  many  of  the  visiters  never  think  of  encoun- 
tering this  point  of  view  :  those  who  do  and  have  a  taste 
for  it  will  never  forget  it.  It  is  among  the  finest  of  the 
fine. 

*<  In  returning,  I  wandered  round  the  little  island.  It 
is  covered  with  forest- trees  of  a  fine  growth,  and  is  full 
of  picturesque  beauty.  Days  might  be  spent  here  in 
happy  and  deep  seclusion  ;  protected  from  the  burning 
sun  ;  regaled  by  lovely  scenes  of  nature,  and  the  music 
of  the  sweetest  waters  ;  and  in  fellowship,  at  will,  with 
the  mighty  Falls. 

<*  The  next  morning  was  the  last ;  and  it  was  given 
wholly  to  the  Great  Fall.  I  prepared,  in  the  first  instance, 


-»■•--'* '  i««ai!*SL  „„.;, i-;  ti ;  ^'.i ■  ^;!:;..^ 


106 


BOOK  or 


D<'8cri|)tloii  of  the  Falls. 


■••r 


to  go  behind  it.  This  is  the  cliief  adventure  ;  and  is  by 
most  writers  described  as  dangerous.  There  is  no  dan- 
ger if  the  overhanging  rocks  keep  their  places,  and  if  you 
have  moderate  self-possession.  I  made  use  of  the  oil 
cloth  dress  provided  by  the  guide,  and  was  quarrelling 
with  it  as  damp  and  uncomfortable  ;  but  that  grievance 
was  quickly  disposed  of.  1  had  not  made  my  entramie 
behind  the  scenes  before  1  was  drenched,  and  the  less  1 
had  on  the  better.  However,  it  was  an  admirable  shower- 
bath  ;  ana  '.here  was  an  end  to  the  question  of  wet  or 
dry.  **  Take  care  of  your  breath,*'  was  the  cry  of  the 
guide  ;  and  1  had  need,  for  it  was  almost  gone.  On 
making  a  further  advance,  I  recovered  it,  and  felt 
relieved.  **  Now  give  me  your  hand,"  said  the  guide  ; 
♦*  this  is  the  narrowest  part."  Onward  J  went,  till  he 
assured  me  that  I  was  on  Termination  Rock  ;  the  ex- 
treme point  accessible  to  the  foot  of  man. 

«*  As  the  labor  of  the  foot  was  over,  and  there  was 
good  standing,  1  determined  on  making  the  best  use  of 
my  eyes.  But  this  was  not  so  easy  to  do.  The  spray 
and  waters  were  driving  in  my  face,  and  coursmg  down 
my  sides  most  strangely  :  a  strong  wind  from  the  foot  of 
the  fall  was  driving  in  the  opposite  direction,  so  as  to 
threaten  not  to  blow  me  down,  but  to  blow  me  up  to  the 
roof  of  the  vault.  However,  I  soon  ascertained  that  we 
were  at  the  extremity  of  a  cavern  of  a  large  and  wonderful 
construction.  It  is  the  form  of  a  pointed  arch  ;  the 
one  span  composed  of  rolling  and  dense  water,  and  the 
other  of  livid  black  rocks.  It  was  some  50  feet  from  the 
footing  of  the  rock  to  that  of  the  water,  and  1  had  entered 
nbout  70  feet.     On  the  entrance^  which  is  mostly  of 


■■.^,-x.,^'_';'--.?-> 


TllK   FALT.S. 


107 


Description  of  the  Falls. 


H>-'' 


thinner  wDiters,  the  sun  played  cheerfully,  and  with  glow- 
ing power  ;  but  within  it  was  contrasted  by  the  dim 
light  and  heavy  obscurity  which  are  generated  by  the 
density  of  the  fall,  to  which  the  whole  power  of  the  sun 
can  give  only  a  semi- transparency.  What  with  this 
visible  gloom,  the  stunning  noise  of  the  fall,  and  the 
endless  commotion  of  wind  and  waters,  the  effect  is  most 
singular  and  awful.  Jt  is  a  scene  that  would  harmonize 
with  the  creations  of  Fuseli ;  and  it  has,  I  will  venture 
to  say,  real  horrors  beyond  what  the  cave  of  old  ^olug 
ever  knew. 

**  On  returning  to  my  dressing-room,  1  received  a  cer- 
tificate from  the  guide  that  I  had  really  been  to  Termina- 
tion Rock  ;  an  ingenious  device  to  give  importance  to  his 
vocation,  but  in  the  success  of  which  he  does  not  miscal- 
culate on  human  nature.  I'ho  rest  of  the  morninor  was 
employed  in  taking  peeps  at  the  Falls  from  favorite  points 
of  observation  ;  but  chiefly  on  the  Table  Rock,  and  at 
the  foot  of  the  Great  Falls.  The  day  was  exceedingly 
fine,  and  every  feature  of  the  amazing  scene  was  lighted 
up  with  all  its  beauty  ;  and  1  now  communed  with  it  as 
one  would  with  a  friend  who  has  already  afforded  you 
rich  enjoyment  in  his  society.  I  was  delighted — was 
fascinated.  Every  thing,  apart  or  together,  seemed  to 
have  acquired  greater  power  and  expression.  I  studied 
all  the  parts  ;  they  were  exquisite,  lovely,  noble  ;  I  put 
them  all  together,  and  it  overwhelmed  me,  subdued  me, 
fixed  me  to  the  spot.  Long  I  stayed  ;  but  all  time  was 
short.    1  went ;  and  returned  ;  and  knew  not  how  to  go. 

**  I  have  been  thus  particular  in  my  account  of  these 
Falls,  because  the  world  knows  nothing  like  them  ;  an4 


■\i:^.,. 


>ai.  j:u;i>,rt    .k.. 


:iMi?&", 


108 


HOOK  or 


DcHcriptiun  of  the  Falli. 


because  1  wished  you  to  participate  in  my  pleasures.  1 
have  seen  many  falls,  and  with  unspeakable  delight  ;  but 
nothing  to  be  named  with  this.  It  would  in  parts  present 
the  image  of  them  aU  ;  '>ut  all  urrited  would  not  supply 
a  just  idea  of  it.  It  in  hi  Aer  to  see  it  than  a  thousand 
ordinary  si.^lilF  ;  ♦h^y  may  revive  sleeping  emotions,  and 
HO  bring  drll^'ht ;  but  this  creates  new  emotion,  and  raises 
the  rnind  a  step  higher  in  its  conceptions  of  the  power 
and  eternity  of  Him  whom  '*  to  know  is  life  eternal." 
The  day  on  which  it  is  seen  should  be  memorable  in  the 
life  of  any  man." 


The  following  spirited  sketch,  is  from  a  work  recently 
published,  entitled  ^*  Poetry  of  Travelling"  by  Mrs.  Caro- 
line Oilman. 

**  We  are  at  the  Cataract  House,  and  as  agreeably  ac- 
commodated as  persons  can  be  who  see  the  beautiful  and 
sublime  giving  place  to  the  useful  and  the  low.  It  is  the 
)rayer  ^*'all  pL*sons  of  tante  that  Goat  or  Iris  Island 
may  be  preserved  from  this  desecration.  If  any  building 
is  erected,  it  should  have  a  classical  exterior,  with  no 
more  clearing  than  necessity  demands,  and  be  devoted 
to  visiters,  giving  them  a  short  and  romantic  walk  to 
these  glorious  exhibitions.  I  was  glad  to  escape  from 
the  sound  of  the  hammer  and  mill.  We  registered  our 
names  at  Bath  Island,  and  paid  our  little  fee.  The  ra- 
pids at  the  bridge  are  indescribably  beautiful,  and  have 
shed  over  laae,  1  think,  as  great  an  amount  of  delight  as 


th« 
in. 


THK    FALLS. 


109 


1 

)Ut 

Ay 
Ind 
ind 


i 


Ueacriptlon  of  the  Palls. 


any  other  view.  I  never  oass  them  without  lingering 
with  a  protracted  gaze,  and  feeling  the  growth  of  tho't 
at  every  iurvey  ;  then  succeedes  the  secluded  forest  isle, 
in  iti  perfect  natui..  i  beauty,  affording  the  eye  time  to 
repose,  before  it  is  a^ain  called  to  bow  before  the  majes- 
ty of  the  Cataract.  It  there  was  noiliing  to  be  seen  on 
the  island  but  the  view  it  Lunar  Pridgo,  it  would  repay 
nature's  pilgrim,  v  o  comes  to  v  ^rship  here.  Standing 
near  the  curr  nt  ot  \e  \e<^ner  Fail,  a  rainbow  appears  at 
either  sidei — distinct  ar(  les  of  light,  reposing  on  the 
mint  like  crowns  of  "^!   ry.     We   descended   the  Biddle 

me  hours  on  tlie  rocks  at  tho  foot 
its  height  and  power  are  fully 

burst  forth  in  radiance,  and  the 

.e  frosted   showe's  in  his  rays. 

lat  spot — one  lingers,  and  ling- 


staircase,  and  passer 
of  the  Great  Fall, 
appreciated.     The  sui 
sheeted  foam  glittered 
How  hard  it  is  to  leave 
ers  as  over  a  new-founc 


oy  I 


Having  re-ascended  tr.**-  steps,  we  rested  at  the  top  of 
the  hill,  on  the  grass,  gatiiering  green  moss,  and  prepar- 
ing for  a  visit  to  the  tower      Shakspeare's- injunction, 

"  Kun,  run,  Orlando,  curve  on  every  tree, 
The  chaste,  the  fair,  the  inexpressive  she!" 

has  been  obeyed  to  the  letter  on  Iris  Island,  though  the 
inexpressive  he's  rather  predominated.  As  I  was  resting 
on  the  grass,  I  ttaw  a  fat,  hard-faced  man,  carving  his 
name,  and  lo  !  L.  P.  stood  forth  on  the  unconscious  bark, 
and  he  became,  to  his  own  thought  immortal ! 

Tne  tower  is  boldly  placed  over  the  rushing  flood,  and 
if)  forty-five  feet  high  ;  the  access  is  by  a  bridge,  which 
projects  ten  feet  beyond  the  Falls.  This  view  is  the 
crown  and  glory  of  the  whole.     I  felt  the  moral  influence 


% 


■:4 


r    ^    ■:.*;•« 


^a.^;i 


■;,«^',.-l',«V!^3/:i>* 


.#■« 


110 


BOOK    OF 


Descii|)tion  of  tlie  Fulls. 


?j» 


ot  the  scene  acting  on  my  spiritual  nature,  and  while 
lingering  at  the  summit  alone,  offered  a  simple  and  hum 
ble  prayer.  Descending  the  Bridge  ;  there,  lying  dov/n 
with  my  head  over  the  Fall,  I  ceased  to  pray  or  even  to 
think.  1  gave  myself  up  to  the  overpowering  greatness 
of  the  scene,  and  my  soul  was  still. 

My  mind  has  been  calmed  by  rambling  through  the 
romantic  forest  walks  of  the  island,  where  beautiful,  but 
not  overwhelming,  views  of  the  rapids  and  falls  break 
through  the  clustering  trees.  Yielding  myself  up  to  the 
sensation  of  a  new  youth,  I  lost,  for  a  while,  the  excite- 
ment of  more  thrilling  scenery,  and  passed  several  hours 
ii..  that  delicious  stroll,  while  the  calm  clear  sky  looked 
through  the  branches,  and  the  shade  of  the  woods  softened 
the  summer  sun,  soothing  the  over-tpxed  senses.  Long 
— forever,  may  fhis  gem  of  nature.  Iris  Island,  remain 
in  its  wild  beauty.* 

This  evening  we  walked,  by  moonlight,  round  the 
island,  and  just  as  I  began  to  be  weary  with  the  length 
of  the  way,  a  young  married  couple,  who  had  come  to 
pay  true  homage  to  nature,  by  consecrating  their  new 
happiness  at  this  shrine,  commenced  singing.  Their 
voices  mingling  with,  and  softening  the  roar  of  the  Fall, 
floated  richly  on  the  air,  and  were  in  sympathy  with  the 
soft  liglit  of  the  moon  as  the  green  leaves  trembled  in  its 
laye.  My  weariness  was  beguiled,  my  steps  became 
measured  to  their  songs,  and  thoughts  of  the  absent  came 
like  brooding  doves,  and  nestled  on  my  heart. 

My  last  look  at  the  great  Fulls  was  at  the  lunar  bow, 
at  the  extremity  of  Terrapin  Bridge.  If  I  was  affected 
at  the  Genesee  Falls,  with  the  thought  of  the  tender  as- 


:\^im^ 


■M 


\  €' 


If 


THE    FALLS. 


Ill 


Description  of  the  Falls. 


[lie 
im 
kvn 
to 

less 


sociations  which  spring  up  at  seeing  this  mighty  element 
softened  by  its  peaceful  ar«|h,  how  much  did  the  spiritual 
beauty  of  this  moonlight  creation  touch  me  in  a  scene  of 
such  surpassing  power  !  The  lunar  bow  lies  in  its  shaded 
white  on  the  mist,  like  a  thinc^  S  the  imagination,  lend- 
ing grace  and  softness  to  its  majesty.  When  I  had  be- 
held this  spot  in  sunshine,  I  was  overpowered  ;  now  a 
deep  tide  of  reflection  solemnized  and  absorbed  me.  One 
feels  thoroughly  alone,  while  overhanging  that  thunder- 
ing mass  of  waters,  with  the  silent  moon  treading  her 
tranquil  way.  I  thought  of  soul,  and  this  mighty  Fall 
seemed  as  a  drop  compared  to  the  cataract  of  mind, 
which  has  been  rushing  from  the  bosom  of  the  Eternal, 
from  age  to  age,  through  every  channel  of  human  nature, 
now  covered  with  mists,  now  glittering  in  sunshine,  now 
softened  by  moonlight,  now  leaping  in  darkness  and  un- 
certainty, and  I  trust  in  God,  destined  to  flow  in  many 
a  happy  river  around  his  throne." 


i  i 


.  %*tLl, 


^■f'.  ^i\&''J'Ai3{^,St-  m.\. 


'•''■'ff'-' ' 


*«■*■ 


-m 


■*■■ 


T4|PLE  OF  DISTANCES, 


*'^. 


(( 


Prom  Steamboat  landing  across 

to  Chippewa, 3^  miles 

From  Fort  Schlojser  to 

Chippewa, 1^     " 

From  Pavilion  Hotel  to 

Chippewa, 2       " 

Across  the  River  at  the 

Falls, I     " 

To  Goat  Island  by  the 

Bridge, 58  rods. 

Across  the  Falls  on  the 

American  side,  •  •  •  •  56 
Across  the  foot  of  Goat 

Island, 80 

length  of  Goatlsland,160 
Across  the  Horse  Shoe 

Falls 114 

Depth  of  water  at  the 

Horse  Shoe, 20   feet. 

Depth  of  water  at  the 

Ferry, 250 

From  the  Eagle  Hotel 

across  to  the  Pavilion 

on  the  Canada side,l§ 

miles,  viz  : 
From  the   Eagle  Hotel 

to  top  of  the  bank,    100  rods. 
Top  of  the  bank  down 

the  Staircase  to  the 

river 28      " 

Width  of  river  at  the 

Ferry 76      " 

Up  the  Canada  bank,  .  76      '' 
From  the  top  of  the  bank 

to  the  Pavilion,. .  .  256      " 

536  rods. 


(C 


«( 


From  the  Falls  to  the 
Mineral  Spring, .  .  .  . 
To  the  Whirlpool,.. .    3 
To  the  Devil's  Hole,. .  .3^ 
To  Erie  Canal  at  Tona- 

wanta, 11 

To  Buffalo, 22 

From  Buffalo  to  Albany, 

by  canal, 363 

By  stage  tbroughUtica^S 


2  miles. 


«i 


By  Cherry  Valley,  .  .  284 
From  Buffalo  to  Olean 

Point, 76 

To  Fredonia  and  Dun- 
kirk,  45 

"  Portland 60 

"  Erie, 90 

"  Ashtabula, 134 

•'  Cleveland,.  ...      188 

"  Columbus, 328 

"  Pittsburgh  by  way 

of  Erie, 219 

"  Huron, 240 

*'  Sandusky, 260 

"  Detroit 310 

"  Mackinaw, 627 

*•  Green  Bay 807 

"  SaultSt.  J^Jaria.  .  .707 

Chicago, 1212 

Cincinnati, 446 

'*  Chillicothe 381 

From  Niagara  Falls  to 
Tuscarora  Village, ...  8 

Lewiston, 7 

Fort  Niagara.  .  .      14 
Burlington  Bay  by 

land, 92 

"  Toronto  by  land,..  107 
"  Toronto  by  Steam- 
boat,   50 

Genesee  River, ...  .94 

Oswego, 154 

*•  Sacket's  Harbor,..  199 
"  Ogdensburgh, ...    264 

•'  Prescott, 265 

"  Montreal 405 

Quebec, 685 

Lockport, 20 

Rochester 84 

Canandaigua.  .  .  .112 
Albany  by   Cherry 
Valley  Turnpike,    300 

"  New  York, 460 

''Philadelphia,...    540 

"  Baltimore, 636 

"  Washington,  .  .♦ .  674 


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